Jonathan Berniers return to the Maple Leafs lineup took another step forward on Friday, when the netminder participated in his first full practice since suffering a groin strain. Bernier was sharing goaltending duties with James Reimer during Fridays drills at the Mastercard Centre, while Drew MacIntyre watched from the corner of the ice. Centre Dave Bolland was also on the ice, skating on a regular line with Mason Raymond and David Clarkson for the first time in almost three weeks. Out for 56 games following an ankle injury, Bolland has had a rocky recovery, having last participated in a full practice on March 2 before suffering a setback. Following Fridays skate, head coach Randy Carlyle said a decision on the availability of Bernier and Bolland for Saturdays contest against the Montreal Canadiens will be made on game day. The 25-year-old Bernier was on the ice for the teams optional skate on Wednesday, where he did side-to-side and up-and-down movements while taking some shots in his 25 minutes on the ice. The injury goes back to the teams 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings last week. Bernier took himself out of the game in the first period and has not played since. Reimer has been in goal in his absence, posting three straight losses at the hands of Washington, Detroit and Tampa Bay. Bernier has a 25-16-7 record with a 2.64 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and a shutout in his first season with Toronto. Yeezy 700 España .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Yeezy 700 Comprar . - A lot of scenarios ran through Terrell Suggs head when the Baltimore linebacker prepared to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. http://www.yeezyespana.com/yeezy-boost-350-espana.html. Erik Logan, president of the network, said Friday that the postponement was made after meetings with the St. Louis Rams. Zapatillas Yeezy Baratas . The Italian football federation announced the appointment, three days after new president Carlo Tavecchio was elected. Tavecchio and Conte spoke on the phone early Thursday. Yeezy 500 Comprar España . Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season.This week is always one of the best weeks of the CFL season because it is the annual "reassess and move forward" evaluation of what has happened and what all teams hope to happen. Once the Labour Day weekend is over the second season starts and the run for the Grey Cup heats up, even for the teams that seem so far away from the top. For Montreal, the quarterback carousel started with Troy Smith, transitioned to Alex Brink and now it looks like Jonathan Crompton will get his shot. Crompton is a big kid for a quarterback and at six-foot-four and 225 pounds his physical size will enhance his durability. He throws hard with and his accuracy has been good, so far. It is very difficult to find a quarterback and win games but perhaps this third time is going to be the right time. A lot of the other aspects of Alouettes football are already there but not at the most important position. I dont think Montreal can wait and hope for a player to emerge from another source other than their own program. To learn and master a playbook in the 11 weeks remaining is unrealistic; possible but not likely. So, for Crompton this is a phenomenal opportunity to establish himself and work on a career. I honestly though Troy Smith was the guy, I was optimistic for Alex Brink. This time I will say: "Take it and make it happen" to Crompton. With two straight home games against Ottawa and Hamilton you can ease into a leadership role as compared to the tougher competition of Calgary and Edmonton. It is amazingly difficult to win games and find a quarterback at the same time but that is the challenge for Montreal for the rest of the season. With Winnipeg the 24-16 win over Montreal was the fourth time Drew Willy and the Bombers offence had to come from behind and win in the fourth quarter. At 6-3 they are right in the middle of everything and with the Riders home-and-away if they win two they will battle for first all year long. If they lose their next two games their playoffs will start on the road, in some capacity. Game 2 of Week 9 just completed was Edmontons 41-27 win over Toronto at home. The Argos had pass protection problems for the second week in a row. As a team, you protect Ricky Ray. He is going to work down the field consistently and surgically. If you dont, he cant. Ray is a good athlete but I would not say a great athlete. Without the element of time you cant expect him to "take a game over" athletically. Edmonton is looking really good. I am most impressed with their depth at running back and receiver. When Chris Jones was in Toronto he had an influence on personnel. Now, in Edmonton I am sure he has more than an influence. Edmonton has done an exceptional job on the talent assessment test. When JC Sherritt is battling for playing time and when your third running back - Tyler Thomas from the National power, Baconee - comes in and stars it sure is impressive.dddddddddddd Ed Hervey and Chris Jones are working well together and their entire personnel department has performed. Matt Nichols has looked good and who would ever have anticipated Eddie Steele from University of Manitoba to be such an impact player? Another team that is very good with personnel is Calgary. Beating the best is critical but beating the teams you should beat is just as important. I though Calgary just systematically wore Ottawa down. Quarter by quarter they became stronger and quarter by quarter the Redblacks faded. I hope the fans continue to support the Redblacks as they have done all summer. It is unlikely this team will go on an extended winning streak and dominate in the playoffs but I do see progression. Henry Burris has to play better throwing the ball. A spectacular receiver needs to be found and a couple of defensive backs. As Montreal is trying win and trying to find a quarterback the Redblacks face a similar dilemma. As an organization have to be careful with the NFL cut situation. Too many changes will hurt their opportunity to win, not enough changes will also hurt. There will be tough evaluations over the next two weeks and for the team to improve efficiency, the decisions must be correct. The final game of the week saw Saskatchewan beat B.C. 20-16. It was a very good game and, to be honest, we have not had enough of them. Heres another reason for a single nine-team league: Solomon Elimimian and John Chick are the two best defensive players in the league right now. If the CFL Awards happened tomorrow one of them would not even be considered and that is not right due to East-West representation. One nine-team league would not only give you the best teams with the best records but would also give you the most accurate representation of who is the best at their position. Still, full compliments go to the Riders for their win. The first time the two teams played, B.C. ran for 184 yards but this time they only managed 58. The first time Andrew Harris ran for 138; this time only 11. Richie Hall as a defensive coordinator is very proud of his guys stepping up to the challenge of a good Lions team that features Harris, Stefan Logan and Tim Brown. I will be very interested to see the decision to be made on Travis Lulay. He should be ready for sure in the next two weeks but how do you tell Kevin Glenn a change will happen? Glenn is one of the great people of the league but this must be difficult to swallow if Lulay takes over. Glenn does not have 10 years to play… at this point of his career it is year by year. No one ever said football was fair in any way. Opening week, Labour Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend and, of course, the playoffs are my favorite event weekends of CFL football. Hopefully each game becomes an event in its own way. ' ' '

Andy Carroll had a quiet transfer deadline day. He trained, prepared himself for his first home start of the season and got rid of some overdue baggage, finally shaving off his overgrown beard. It was three years to the day since he was the most expensive British signing in history. January 31st, 2011 changed the Gateshead lad forever. Playing and scoring goals for his boyhood club, Newcastle United, Carroll was enjoying the dream life - on the pitch. Off it was a constant battle. That Andy Carroll came with some serious baggage. Multiple assault charges finally saw him granted bail on the condition of him moving to a permanent residence, rather than a hotel. Newcastle teammate Kevin Nolan took him in and put a curfew on Carroll to help him stay out of trouble. "I said he could stay, I cleared it with the Mrs, of course, first, Nolan later reflected. She was down in Liverpool a lot of the time so we were like roommates. He was a pretty good cook. Pasta with tomatoes, chicken; things like that." On the field, Nolan wanted nothing changed and loved making runs from midfield to get on the end of a knockdown by the big striker. Back at the family home, issues around Carroll continued when his car was set on fire in the driveway and graffiti was written all over the garage door. The Nolan family stuck by him as the midfielder revealed to the Guardian, back in 2010: "Andy has got to be indoors for 10.30pm and he has got to be in bed by 11pm. Wed already got the kids on curfews, so its no trouble to enforce.What I have learnt about Andy, though, is that hes always asleep at the wrong time, like when I get him up early to do the school run with me. He gets up at 10 to eight and we leave at five past. We then have our breakfast at the training ground. I dont know if he likes it but thats the way it is." Carroll would later see the assault charges dropped and as he moved out of the Nolan household, he did with much less baggage. Nolan told the Daily Mirror in 2012: "When you look back on it now, it was bizarre him staying with us, but it worked. In our family, thats what we do for our friends. Ive been brought up like that by my mum and dad. "I know Andy was very grateful for what we did for him, thats why were so close. He has his family there for him but sometimes you need other people as well." Carrolls 35 million pound move to Liverpool in 2011 was called a dream move by Nolan, who was obviously delighted for his mate, but the dream soon turned out to be a nightmare for Carroll. It was not a move that came too soon for him. It was simply a move that should never have come at all. Liverpool captured the Englishman on the day they let Fernando Torres leave. The 35 million pound figure they paid was never what Carroll was worth. It was simply a number Newcastle, on the final day of the transfer window, would allow their goal scorer to leave for. Incredibly, Liverpool took the bait and Carrolls life changed forever. Sure, there were some good moments, such as scoring the winner at Wembley over Everton in the FA Cup semifinal, but there were some tough moments too and when Kenny Dalglish was replaced by Brendan Rodgers as manager, it was only a matter of time that Carroll would be moved on. Nineteen months after signing at Anfield, Carroll was reunited with Nolan, this time down south at West Ham, agreeing to a season-long loan. "He has learned so much. There is a different lad standing in that dressing room now. There is a man who can look after himself and do the right things on a daily basis," Nolan said. Carroll did enough last season to convince the Hammers to pay Liverpool 15 million pounds and hand the striker a new six year contract. Except, once again, Carroll came with baggage, this time in the case of a heel injury that he picked up on the final day of last season against Reading. The injury proved to be far worse than original thought and with Carroll out for months; West Ham struggled badly, causing many to panic, including the clubs co-owner David Sullivan. "Had we known he would be out for this long, we would not have signed him," Sullivan told the BBCs Football Focus in December. "We are not a rich enough club to deal with that. You know any player can get injured, but we cant buy a player knowing he is going to be out for half the season. When we signed him we were assured by the medical staff that the very, very latest he would be back was September 1st. That would have meant he would only miss two league games." Sullivan has every right to look after his investments but it seemed a bizarre thing to say publicly. Even if he privately believed it, it is not as if the money spent on Carroll could have gone on another player who would have instantly changed the clubs fortunes. You only have to look at the long list of strikers bought for a lot of money, in the Premier League, to know many do not work out. Injury or no injury, that label is yet to be attached to the now 25-year-old Carroll. The jury still remains out on what he can actually become. On Saturday he started his second game of the season, at home to Swansea, and in the first half showed exactly why West Ham wanted to spend that amount of money on him. Carroll was magnificent, finding pockets of space to hold up the ball and supply wide men, choosing his battles in between Chico Flores and Dwight Tiendalli, to regularly win aerial duels, and then winning two significant headers that set up the games two goals, in a 2-0 West Ham win. The beneficiary? Nolan of course. Like Carroll, the 2013-14 season had been a season to forget so far for the Hammers captain but he had no injury to blame for his torrid campaign. Nolan scored 10 goals from midfield last season and had been expected to score regularly again this season but, heading into Saturday, the 31-year-old had as many league red cards as goals this season (2). After the second red card, against Fulham in December, manager Sam Allardyce had seen enough, fining him two weeks wages (100 thousand pounds), saying: "Our captain was irresponsible. Not just today but for the future because he is suspended. Hes let everyone down and himself. I just dont quite understand where hes lost his cool and why its happened." Nolan sat out seven games through suspension but on Saturday he was reunited with his mate, playing just behind Carroll, giving West Ham fans what they hope to be a glimpse at the partnership that can keep their team in the Premier League this season. Except, once again more baggage comes with Carroll. In the second half on Saturday he was sent off for extending a wild arm to Chico Floress head. Allardyce called it an injustice and plans to appeal against it but if that is unsuccessful Carroll will again sit out for three more games. Once Carroll returns he will have gone nine months without playing a full 90 minutes. He will have three months to not only play a pivotal role in saving West Hams season but also attempt to get on Roy Hodgsons England plane to Brazil. At the moment he appears to be completely off Hodgsons radar but in just 45 minutes on Saturday he showed why he should be more than just considered if he can play regularly. Carroll offers something completely different to the England manager, who has enough quick forwards looking to get in behind a defensive line. Carroll showed against Sweden in Euro 2012 that he can be a real handful for international defenders if the quality of the deliveries into the box is high. West Ham became the final Premier League team to score a headed goal this season on Saturday and if they can improve their crosses and get Carroll heavily involved down the stretch then do not rule out the forward making an unlikely late, successful attempt at the 23rd and final player seat on the plane to Brazil. Time is certainly running out but if Carroll can remove the personal baggage, he may well be packing his own baggage to the World Cup. Adrien Rabiot Jersey . - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Thilo Kehrer Jersey . Doug Fister allowed two runs over seven innings and Washington hit three solo homers in a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. http://www.parissaintgermainfcstore.com/...Germain-Jersey/. PETERSBURG, Fla. Arthur Zagre Jersey . 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. Sebastien Cibois Paris Saint-Germain Jersey .28 mph. Logano will start on the front row next to Penske Ford teammate Brad Keselowski, who came in second Friday at 193.099. The Penske drivers swept the top two spots for the second straight race, reversing their qualifying finish in Phoenix a week ago.AMES, Iowa -- Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins grabbed every rebound in sight. Joel Embiid was nearly unstoppable in the paint in the second half, and Naadir Tharpe seemingly couldnt miss. The young Jayhawks are growing up-- and theyre putting it together in time for another run through the Big 12. Tharpe scored a career-high 23 points on just nine shots, Wiggins of Vaughan, Ont., had 17 points and a season-high 19 rebounds and No. 15 Kansas beat No. 8 Iowa State 77-70 on Monday night for its third straight win to open conference play. "The thing about it is, if you have followed our team closely, you could make the case that this team probably enjoyed playing less than other teams weve had," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But since we started conference play, theyre having as much fun as any team weve ever had." The Jayhawks had plenty of reasons to smile in perhaps their most impressive win of the season. Embiid had 12 of his 16 points in the second half to go with five blocks for the Jayhawks (12-4, 3-0), who outrebounded Iowa State 53-36. Kansas opened the second half with a 16-5 run and led the rest of the way, handing the Cyclones (14-2, 2-2) their second consecutive loss after a 14-0 start. Iowa State doesnt start anyone taller than 6-foot-7, and its lack of size is threatening to become an issue. "This is a couple of games in a row now where, probably the difference has been on the glass," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. "We were pretty good in the non-conference portion of the schedule. You dont want this to be a trend moving forward." It wasnt all good news for Kansas either. The Jayhawks committed 24 turnovers but they survived by shooting 49 per cent from the field and dominating the glass. "We handled the ball miserably. Looked like a third grade team out there offensively sometimes taking care of the ball. But we made up for it by being pretty good on the glass. It was a great win," Self said. DeAndre Kane, who sprained an ankle in the loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, had 21 points for Iowa State, which lost to Kansas for the 17th time in 18 games.dddddddddddd. The Cyclones, the Big 12s top 3-point shooting team, were a dreadful 4 of 25 from beyond the arc. Kane, who led the Big 12 with 22.7 points, 6.3 assists and 3.3 steals through three league games, responded well enough to around the clock treatment on his left ankle that he has able to start. It didnt provide the early boost the Cyclones were looking for. Kansas jumped all over Iowa State, rolling to a quick 15-4 lead less than 5 minutes in. But the Cyclones fought their way back to tie the game at 36-all on Kanes 3 at the halftime buzzer. The Jayhawks started the second half the way they did the first. Perry Ellis extended their lead to 52-41 with a slam with 13:32 left, and Embiid wrapped two baskets around a blocked shot as Kansas went ahead 64-53. Kane could have made it a one-possession game with under a minute left, but he missed a layup and Tharpe answered with two free throws. Kane said his ankle was an issue -- and he was also kneed in the thigh with about 4 minutes left. "I really couldnt cut and go change of pace. But thats no excuse. I played 37 minutes. I was out there enough. I just didnt do enough to help my team win," Kane said. Melvin Ejim had 15 points for Iowa State, but forward Georges Niang had 11 points on 4-of-20 shooting from the field. Iowa State was just 9 of 37 from the field in the second half. "We came out hard. We came out hungry," Wiggins said of his teams second-half surge. Iowa State had longed for another crack at Kansas at home after the Jayhawks rallied for a contentious overtime win here last season. But Iowa States inability to knock down 3s theyd normally make was too much to overcome -- and Embiid and the Jayhawks confounded the Cyclones with their size and length. "I think Embiid is the best player in the country," Hoiberg said. "Hes huge. Hes got great length. He can shoot, hes got incredible footwork and hes been playing the game for about two years." ' ' '

Edmonton, AB (SportsNetwork.com) - Cory Schneider started his 20th straight game and made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 2-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Schneider surpassed Martin Brodeur for the longest start streak to open a season in franchise history. Brodeur set the previous mark with 19 consecutive starts from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2, 2001. Adam Henrique and Tuomo Ruutu each scored and Eric Gelinas tallied two assists for the Devils, who snapped a two-game skid. Viktor Fasth made 24 saves for the Oilers, who lost their fifth in a row. Edmonton received more bad news in the loss as forward Benoit Pouliot suffered a broken foot while blocking Marek Zidlickys shot during the second period. After a scoreless opening stanza, Steve Bernier hit Henrique with a stretch pass through the neutral zone, and Henrique lit the lamp with a wrister through the pads of Fasth off a breakaway 10:39 into the second. Ruutu increased the Devils lead to 2-0 with a wrister over the shoulder of Fasth and into the top right corner of the net with five minutes to play in the middle frame. The Oilers pulled Fasth with over a minute left, but were unable to get on the board. Schneider stopped 13 shots during the final stanza to keep his shutout intact. Game Notes Schneider registered his 14th career shutout ... Brodeur holds New Jerseys record for consecutive starts with 44 during the 1995-96 season ... Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played in his 200th NHL game ... The Devils have not allowed a power-play goal in five consecutive games ... Forward Dainius Zubrus played in his 500th game with the Devils. Frank Gore Womens Jersey . Canada was placed in one of the easiest groups during Saturdays live televised draw in Montreal. Deebo Samuel Womens Jersey . So much so that even a simple foul pop up to the first baseman turned into a run. Houstons four-run rally in the ninth inning to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Monday night was capped by a bizarre play that started as Crowe fouled out to first baseman Justin Smoak with runners on second and third. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Deebo-Samuel-Jersey/. -- Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will be out three to six weeks with a stress fracture of the third finger of his right hand. Dwight Clark Jersey . 1 goaltender tonight when they conclude a four-game road trip versus the Winnipeg Jets. Frank Gore Jersey . The football club recently announced an increase in season ticket prices in five of the seven categories at Investors Group Field for 2014. While most increases are in the two to three per cent range, the clubs most affordable season tickets will jump from $199 to $250 — a 26 per cent leap.SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Kings power forward Carl Landry will have hip surgery Tuesday and probably miss much of the season. Landry tore a left hip flexor muscle during a recent practice and is expected to miss three to four months. The team said Monday that Dr. William Meyers of Philadelphia will operate. Landry signed a $266 million, four-year contract in July.dddddddddddd He averaged 10.8 points and six rebounds in 23.2 minutes off the bench to help the Golden State Warriors reach the second round of the playoffs last season. He opted out of the final year of his two-year, $8 million deal with Golden State last month to become a free agent. ' ' '

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Clemsons players lobbed oranges at their delirious fans, while coach Dabo Swinney lobbed a not-so-subtle jab at the Tigers in-state rival. And in the middle of the celebration, Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins beamed after giving the Tigers a night to savour -- one 32 years in the making. Boyd threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns, Watkins had a record-setting night with 16 catches for 227 yards on what likely was his collegiate finale and No. 12 Clemson rallied to beat No. 7 Ohio State 40-35 on Friday in the Orange Bowl, a game the Tigers lost by 37 points just two years ago. "We are Orange Bowl champs again," Swinney said. "Hey, listen: Two years ago we got our butts kicked on this field. And it has been a journey to get back. Were 22-4 since that night. And we are the first team from the state of South Carolina to ever win a BCS game." Nope, beating the Buckeyes wasnt enough. Clemson had to make sure the rival Gamecocks took notice as well. "That was a lot of fun, man," Swinney said. "That was a lot of fun." It surely didnt feel that fun after Boyd was intercepted with 1:27 left near midfield, with Ohio State needing a touchdown to take the lead. But Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller -- who was shaken up in the fourth quarter, saying afterward he had a cracked rib and a shoulder issue -- was picked off two plays later, and the Tigers ran out the clock. Boyds 5-yard pass to Stanton Seckinger with 6:16 remaining put the Tigers (11-2) ahead to stay, despite allowing 20 unanswered points in wasting an early 11-point lead. Watkins caught two scoring passes, plus became Clemsons career receptions leader and set an Orange Bowl record for yardage. Martavis Bryant caught two more TD passes for the Tigers, who posted consecutive 11-win seasons for the first time in school history. "Its a very special night," Boyd said. "Just the significance of this game, not for me particularly, not for this team particularly, but for this university ... I couldnt pick a better way to go out as a senior." Miller threw for 234 yards and Carlos Hyde ran for 113 more for Ohio State (12-2), which led 29-20 in the second half but wound up losing its second straight game -- after having won each of its previous 24 under coach Urban Meyer, whose record in Bowl Championship Series games fell to 4-1. Corey Brown had 116 yards receiving for the Buckeyes. "Its going to sting for a while, probably a long while because we didnt finish," Meyer said. "It was right there." Ohio State wound up allowing 115 points in the seasons final three games. The Buckeyes gave up exactly that many in the seasons first six games. "Were not a championship-calibredefence right now," Meyer said. The Buckeyes had a 29-20 lead in the third after Hyde picked up 31 yards on 4th-and-inches, then went airborne to break the plane of the goal line on the next play. "I felt like the offence was starting to get clicking at that point," Hyde said. "I thought we could make it happen." Then the mistakes started coming in bunches for Ohio State. A fumbled punt return and an interception led to touchdown grabs by Watkins and Bryant, putting the Tigers up entering the fourth. Hyde caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Miller with 11:35 left, giving the Buckeyes a one-point lead, but Clemson and Boyd went on one last scoring march to give the Tigers the BCS win theyve been seeking for years. Boyd finished with 505 all-purpose yards, outgaining Ohio State by 78 yards himself. "What a legacy," Swinney said. "He put an exclamation point on it tonight." When Clemson played in the Orange Bowl two years ago, the Tigers gave up 21 points in the final 2:29 of the first half, letting a close game get blown wide open on the way to a 70-33 loss to West Virginia. This time, the game didnt get away. Boyds 3-yard touchdown pass to Bryant had Ohio State facing a 20-9 deficit, but two scores in a 3 1/2-minute span gave the Buckeyes a 22-20 halftime lead. Clemson left Jeff Heuerman wide open down the middle for a 57-yard touchdown pass from Miller, making it a one-score game. And on a drive aided by a 15-yard penalty against Clemsons Darius Robinson, Miller ran in from 3 yards with 12 seconds left to give the Buckeyes their first lead. But the game changed again, and in the end, Boyd and the Tigers were standing tall. "It just means were one step closer to our ultimate goal," Swinney said, "and thats to be the best in the country." Brian Westbrook Womens Jersey . Gaborik was acquired in a trade with Columbus on Wednesday and skated on the top line with centre Anze Kopitar and right-winger Justin Williams. "We created some things," said Gaborik, who logged 16:38 of ice time. Brian Westbrook Eagles Jersey . TSN 1290s Jordan Cieciwa, Big Marv and Toby are here to give their predictions on who will leave with the belt and who will take some of the other key bouts on the card. Johny Hendricks vs. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth...-Eagles-Jersey/. -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens. Andre Dillard Jersey . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday. Seth Joyner Womens Jersey . Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Buddy Robinson scored 43 seconds apart in the second period to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs in American Hockey League action Friday night at the Bell Centre.MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings have hired Joe Marciano to fill in for special teams co-ordinator Mike Priefer, who must serve a three-game suspension for an anti-gay comment that prompted a complaint from a former player. Coach Mike Zimmer announced Sunday that Marciano would work with the special teams until Priefer returns, likely Sept. 22. "Our plan right now is for three weeks. Once Mike gets back then hell come back," Zimmer said. "Joe was kind of retired. Hes got family things he has to take care of. He was gracious enough to come up here and help us out and I appreciate that a lot." Marciano has coached NFL special teams for 28 years, including 12 with the Houston Texans until they fired him with head coach Gary Kubiak near the end of last season. Marciano has also coached in the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. He joined the team for practice Sunday. "We felt like, in our thinking, that itd be good to get someone in here, go through these next three weeks of camp, get a feel of exactly how weree doing things where we can continue to speak the same language but have some veteran experience for these first couple ball games," Zimmer said.dddddddddddd "Especially with me being a new head coach, and I think the experience factor has been good." Priefer said he was told of the plan about a week prior to training camp. He endorsed the decision despite his faith in assistant special teams coach Ryan Ficken. "Ryan can handle it. Theres no doubt in my mind he can. I can understand why we would bring in a veteran coach, and the fact that Joe was available was a benefit and a plus for us," Priefer said. The Vikings ordered sensitivity training for Priefer after outside investigators corroborated ex-punter Chris Kluwes claim that Priefer tried to agitate him with homophobic language while Kluwe was advocating for same-sex marriage rights in Minnesota. In revealing last month their punishment of Priefer, the Vikings said his suspension could be reduced to two games at their discretion following his completion of the training. ' ' '

PARIS - The Canadian womens rugby team will make two changes to its starting lineup for Sundays championship game against England at the Womens Rugby World Cup. Elissa Alarie of Trois-Rivieres, Que., will move to scrum half for the injured Stephanie Bernier of Quebec City, and Jessica Dovanne of Victoria replaces Brittany Waters of Vancouver on the left wing, Rugby Canada said Saturday in a release. Bernier suffered a knee injury in Canadas 18-16 semifinal win over host France on Wednesday. Canada will be making its first appearance in a Womens Rugby World Cup final at Stade Jean-Bouin. Canada has finished fourth on three occasions and settled for a sixth-place showing in 2010. England was a finalist four years ago and has lost to New Zealand in the last three finals. Canada opened its World Cup campaign with victories over Spain and Samoa, before playing England to a draw to end the pool stage. England defeated Ireland 40-7 to reach the final. “We know that England is a very strong team and they showed that in the semifinals against Ireland on Wednesday,” said Canadian head coach Francois Ratier. “Sunday is an incredible opportunity for us to show how far Canadian womens rugby has come and that we belong in the finals of the World Cup. "Our athletes have spent years preparing for this moment and were all looking forward to the challenge.” Canada and England have played four times in the last 12 months. Canada won twice at last summers Nations Cup tournament in Denver but England followed that up with a decisive victory last fall in the final game of Canadas November Tour. The teams played to a 13-13 draw last Saturday in Marcoussis, France. Canadian captain Kelly Russell of Bolton, Ont., and teammate Magali Harvey of Quebec City are on the shortlist for the International Rugby Boards womens player of the year honour. The winner will be announced after the final. New Zealand and the United States will meet in the fifth-place game early Sunday. Ireland and France will play in the third-place game before the championship. Eric Dickerson Womens Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Tyler Higbee Womens Jersey . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. http://www.footballramsshop.us/authentic...-rams-jersey/.Y. -- First, Ryan Miller. Jack Youngblood Youth Jersey . The Montreal Canadiens goaltender has won three of his four games since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out from the end of the Olympic break until March 15. Jack Youngblood Jersey .com) - One point guard will return, while another will sit when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit American Airlines Center to take on the Dallas Mavericks.CHICAGO -- Patrick Kane scored two goals for Chicago in the third period, including a terrific dash through the Minnesota zone for the tiebreaking score, and the Blackhawks beat the Wild 5-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Friday night. Bryan Bickell also scored twice to help the Blackhawks win their fifth in a row after losing the first two games against St. Louis in the first round. Marian Hossa had a goal and two assists as the defending Stanley Cup champions made the most of two costly high-sticking penalties on Minnesota defenceman Jonas Brodin. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday. The Wild showed no sign of any fatigue just two days after their dramatic 5-4 overtime win in Game 7 of their first-round series against Colorado. Playing in the second round of the post-season for the first time since 2003, Minnesota used third-period goals from Clayton Stoner and Kyle Brodziak to tie it at 2. Brodziaks third goal of playoffs on a slick pass from Erik Haula silenced the sellout crowd of 21,116 with 13:04 left, but Kane then electrified the United Center once again with his 33rd playoff goal. The flashy wing carried the puck into the Minnesota zone, hesitated as teammate Patrick Sharp skated behind him, and then split Brodziak and Brodin on his way to the net. He finished the play by roofing a backhand over goaltender Ilya Bryzgalovs left shoulder at 8:22. Kane then yelled "Showtime!" twice and pumped his right arm as the delirious crowd cheered wildly. But he was only getting started. The 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy winner picked up his fifth goal of the playoffs on a nice pass from Ben Smith, and Bickell added an empty-netter as Chicago pulled away. Minnesota went 0 for 3 on the power play in a disturbing sign after it struggled with the man advantage in iits first-round playoff series against Chicago a year ago.dddddddddddd The Wild were unsuccessful on all 17 power-play chances when they were eliminated by the Blackhawks in five games in 2013. Bryzgalov had 17 saves in his first start since he was pulled from Minnesotas 4-2 loss to the Avalanche in Game 2. Darcy Kuemper took over for the Wild in net until he got hurt in the third period of the final game, and Bryzgalov made one save to help the Wild advance. Kuemper is day to day with an upper-body injury, but Wild coach Mike Yeo said before Game 1 against the Blackhawks that the goalie was not in Chicago, making it unlikely that hell be able to play Sunday. Bryzgalov got off to a slow start, and Chicago used the penalties on Brodin to build a 2-0 lead. Bickell tipped in Brent Seabrooks slap shot at 14:48 of the first, and then had some fancy footwork on the Blackhawks second goal in the second period. Nick Leddy made a nice pass to Brandon Saad streaking through the middle of the Minnesota zone. Saad then sent a backhand pass toward the left side of the net that Bickell stepped over, leaving it for Hossa to flip into the open side of the goal at 11:21. The rest of the period belonged to Minnesota, which outshot Chicago 17-3 in the second. Mikael Granlund had a shot go high off the left post, and Corey Crawford made nice glove saves on Wild captain Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. Crawford finished with 30 saves after he made 35 stops in Chicagos 5-1 victory over St. Louis in Game 6 on Sunday, closing out the series for the Blackhawks. NOTES: The Blackhawks lost C Andrew Shaw to a lower-body injury in the first period. ... Blackhawks F Kris Versteeg was scratched for the second straight playoff game in favour of Joakim Nordstrom. It was Nordstroms second career playoff game. ' ' '

CLEVELAND -- The Indians released right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka on Tuesday at his request, giving the Japanese veteran a chance to catch on with another team after failing to secure a spot in Clevelands rotation. Matsuzaka has spent the entire season at Triple-A Columbus after failing to win a spot in Clevelands rotation during spring training. After working through early season injuries, Matsuzaka has pitched well in recent weeks, going 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 10 starts for the Clippers since July 2. But with the Indians rotation currently packed with solid starters, hes hoping to find work elsewhere for the stretch run. "We didnt have an immediate major league opportunity for Daisuke," Cleveland general manager Chris Antonetti said in the dugout in Anaheim before the Indians game against the Angels. "He had been throwing well in Triple-A, and thought that he may have a better opportunity elsewhere, so he asked for his release, and we granted it." Antonetti said he isnt certain whether Matsuzaka already has a new destination lined up, but he has been speaking regularly with Matsuzakas agent, Scott Boras. The Indians signed the 32-year-old Matsuzaka to a minor league deal in February after he spent six seasons with Boston, but Matsuzaka didnt make the 40-man roster. He was released before re-signing with Cleveland. "Early in the season, there were a number of things that went wrong physically, where he got pushed back, so he was never really a candidate to pitch," said Indians manager Terry Francona, who also was Matsuzakas manager with the World Series-winning Red Sox in 2007. "I dont know if its unfortunate," Francona added. "Its good for him to log innings for his career. Just giving him a chance to maybe go somewhere is good for him." Matsuzaka made an immediate splash with the Red Sox, winning 33 games and a World Series ring during his first two seasons after Boston won a lucrative competition for his services from Japans Seibu Lions. Matsuzaka has been slowed by elbow issues since 2009, and he won only 17 games over the past four seasons for the Red Sox. He underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2011, returning to go 1-7 in 11 starts with Boston last season. His velocity was noticeably down at spring training with the Indians, and veteran Scott Kazmir beat him out for the fifth spot in Clevelands rotation. Matsuzaka then struggled with a strained oblique muscle while in the minors before returning to better form. The second-place Indians rotation looks sharp while they chase Detroit in the AL Central race. Justin Masterson, Zach McAllister, Ubaldo Jimenez, rookie Danny Salazar, Kazmir and injured right-hander Corey Kluber are all in front of Matsuzaka in the majors. "I think Daisuke is in a better spot now at the end of the year than he was at the beginning of the year," Antonetti said. "Hopefully he can get that major league opportunity and go help someone." Carmelo Anthony Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, the deal will pay Schenn $2.25 million in the first year and $2.75 million in the second year. In 82 games with the Flyers in 2013-14, Schenn scored 20 goals and added 21 assists. Jarred Vanderbilt Jersey .com) - Scott Parel carded a 5-under 65 on Thursday and he grabbed a 1-stroke lead after one round of the season-opening Panama Claro Championship. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Dikembe-Mu...Nuggets-Jersey/. -- Peyton Manning is the only player in this Super Bowl who has won the big game. Paul Millsap Jersey .com) - The Kansas City Chiefs activated linebacker Joe Mays from short-term injured reserve on Saturday. Tyler Lydon Jersey . He scored two highlight-reel goals in a three-minute span -- the second on a sideways bicycle kick in the 78th minute -- to give the Whitecaps a 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers before a crowd of 20,303 at B.Lefty Kyle Anderson got it started and Ray Sadler, Tyler Kuhn and Luis Alen finished it off, as the Winnipeg Goldeyes combined pitching and defense to win their eighth game of the young American Association season. Anderson went 6.1 innings and allowed just one run on five hits to earn the victory as the Goldeyes (8-4) beat the Sioux City Explorers (4-9) 2-1 in a thriller at Shaw Park. However, it was the final play of the game that brought the fans to their feet. With two out in the top of the ninth and speedy Nate Samson on first for Sioux City, Peter Barrows took a Chris Kissock pitch into the gap in left-centre field. But Sadler tracked it down, fired a strike to the cut-off man, Kuhn, who turned and fired a dart to catcher Luis Alen who easily put the tag on Samson for the final out of the game. "That was a great baseball game wasnt it?" Goldeyes manager Rick Forney asked rhetorically. "And that last play was a great play. You just dont know how hard that play is. That play is really hard. But those guys did a great job. Thats great baseball." Kuhn, the Goldeyes shortstop who threw a belt-high strike to the plate, knew exactly what he was going to do the moment the ball left Barrows bat. "Youre ready for a situation like that to happen," said Kuhn. "Once the ball went to the gap we all knew that home was the only place we were going. Ray gave me a good throw and I was able to make a good exchange and throw a decent ball to Luis to make the tag. Making a tag at homeplate is a tough play and Luis made a real ggood play there.dddddddddddd" Sioux City opened the scoring in the first inning. Former Canadian national team member, Rene Tosoni hit Andersons first pitch for a double and eventually scored on a cueballed infield single off the end of Tommy Mendoncas bat. The Goldeyes bounced back with a run in the fourth off Sioux City starter John Straka, as Donnie Webb singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Casey Haerther. The Fish scored again in the fifth as Luis Alen doubled went to third on a groundout by Kuhn and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Blackwood. Thats all Anderson and the bullpen would need. Newly signed Kaohi Downing came in and pitched to two batters to get out of the sixth, then Brendan Lafferty shut it down in the eighth and Kissock got some tremendous defense to close it out and get his third save of the season. "My plan was to throw strikes," said Anderson. "Theyre a pretty aggressive team as we saw the other night, so I was really focusing on getting ahead in the counts. I wanted to get ahead early with the fastball and then move on to the curve ball and the change up and get them to roll over and just keep them off balance." Anderson (2-0, 1.13 ERA) did just that and earned the win. Straka (1-1, 2.29 ERA) pitched well but suffered the loss. The Goldeyes and Explorers meet up in Game 3 of this three-game series on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. at Shaw Park. Matt Jackson (2-0, 1.39 ERA) will start for the Goldeyes while Wade Morrison (0-1, 1.17 ERA) will get the ball for Sioux City. ' ' '

One day after being designated as the teams transition player for next season, linebacker Jason Worilds has signed on. According to a report from CBS Sports, Worilds signed his tranisition tag, locking him into the Steelers for next season before teams could sign the former second round draft pick to an offer sheet. Worilds will now make more than $9 million next season, unless he comes to terms on a long-term contract with the Steelers. Worilds had a career high eight sacks last season and was expected to be a hot commodity had he hit free agency next week. Kenny Moore Youth Jersey . -- Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe was alert and recovering at a Denver hospital Saturday after suffering seizure-like symptoms when the teams bus pulled into the airport Friday afternoon for the flight to Kansas City. Peyton Manning Jersey . Price also posted the longest shutout sequence since 1960 at 164:19 minutes. He stopped a combined 55 shots in Canadas final two games and 70 of 71 shots in Canadas three elimination games, allowing only a breakaway goal to Lauris Darzins of Latvia. For his efforts, Price was named best goalkeeper by the tournament directorate. Prices outstanding play is marred only by the extremely strong defensive play of Canadas top six defencemen; Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester. http://www.officialindianapoliscoltspro....n-colts-jersey/. The team let Keaton Ellerby, James Wright and Matt Halischuk become unrestricted free agents after declining to make them qualifying offers. Ellerby, 25, appeared in 51 games for the Jets last season and had two goals and four assists. Bobby Okereke Womens Jersey . A last-minute leveler ensured the two-time defending champion remained nine points ahead of Roma, which drew 0-0 at bitter rival Lazio in the capital derby. Johnny Unitas Youth Jersey . The 49ers announced the deal Tuesday. San Francisco selected Lloyd in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.TORONTO - Amir Johnson has never been one to sulk over playing time. Whether starting or coming off the bench, Johnson has always accepted his role in stride, part of whats made him the Raptors unsung hero for the better part of the last three seasons. His body language spoke louder than words on Sunday, both before and after his teams 112-98 loss to the Nuggets, their third straight defeat at home. An hour before tip-off a subdued Johnson sat alone in front of his locker. Playing a racing game on his phone - with the volume turned up - he knew what everyone else would find out 50 minutes later. For the first time since Mar. 23, a span of 27 games, Johnson would come off the bench with Tyler Hansbrough replacing him in the Raptors starting five. Dwane Casey had hinted a lineup change could be on its way after practice the day prior but the Raptors coach kept his cards close to his vest during his pre-game availability, with the Nuggets withholding the status of starter Kenneth Faried. Following a couple slow starts in back-to-back defeats at home, the shakeup was not a surprise. "Weve been talking about it, a few days back," Johnson said, despondent after the game. A man of few words. While Johnson was held scoreless in 14 uninspiring minutes as a reserve - an uncharacteristic minus-16 on the afternoon - the change seemed to spark his team out of the gate. Along with Jonas Valanciunas, Hansbrough set the tone for the Raptors, who took an early 15-point lead thanks in large part to Torontos energy and physical work on the boards. However, that lead shrunk in a hurry as both teams went to their second units. The Nuggets - a team assembled, at least in part by Raptors GM Masai Ujiri - dominated the final 36 minutes with their superior depth, exploiting the deficiencies in Torontos shallow roster. "Masai did too good of a job of putting that group together," Casey joked before the game. The Nuggets and their new coach Brian Shaw went 10 players deep, six of them scoring in double figures, including four off the bench. "Our bench has got to give us something," Casey maintained after Denvers subs scored 72 points, an opponent record against the Raptors. "Our (starters) cant play for 48 (minutes), so weve got to get production from the bench." "The guys coming in have got to develop a toughness, a resilience of getting stops and it starts on the defensive end. Thats where our problems started in the second half. They shot well but we didnt make them feel us and thats the difference." As a team, the Nuggets shot 65 per cent in the second half and their bench went 17-for-23 from the field. Johnson - now a member of the Raptors second unit that managed just 16 points on Sunday - has not been himself this season, to his own admission. "No, Ive been on and off," he responded, asked if his early-season play has met his standards. "I mean thats why we made the change in the lineup," Casey said in agreement. "Just to give us some energy, give (Johnson) a chance to recharge a little bit, refresh a little bit, refocus a little bit." Even afteer Sundays game, Johnson is a plus-20 this season - the teams second best mark - shooting 54 per cent from the field, tops on the Raptors.dddddddddddd Still, his effort and consequently his impact has been inconsistent following a career season last year. At times Casey has questioned the forwards focus. "Everybodys been through some rough times," said Rudy Gay, who had a team-high 23 points on 10-of-23 shooting in the loss. "Ive been through it… and hes going through it now." "Everybodys going to go through it at some point in their career and this is the time hes been going through it. But I have all confidence in Amir. Hes going to be great, hes going to be the same Amir we know he can be." Frustration boiling over The Raptors have now dropped three straight and five of their last six games at home, prompting a sensible question; is frustration beginning to get the best of them? "It should hurt," Casey insisted. "But the teams that we played against, if you looked at the schedule before the season started, how many of them would we have been favoured (in)? But thats no excuse because we put ourselves in a position (to win) in each of these games and even in this one in the first half. I dont see frustration." DeMar DeRozan didnt mince words, expressing his frustration after the loss. "Me personally, Im frustrated period," he exclaimed after scoring 17 points in defeat. "Just losing, I mean I hate it, I hate it with a passion." "I mean were right there. Were the ones doing it. Nobodys making us miss our coverages or nothing like that. Its on us. We show it in spurts, weve just got to be more consistent with it." Rare third-quarter touches for Valanciunas Coming into Sundays contest, Jonas Valanciunas had scored 71 points on 57 shots in first quarters this season, tallying just 60 points on 58 shots in the other three quarters combined. The sophomore was utilized more consistently against a smaller Denver team and he responded with one of his better performances of the campaign. "I thought he had a (good) matchup with those guys so we made it a focal point of getting him the ball in the paint," Casey said of Valanciunas, who had a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes of action. "He did an excellent job of getting to where he wanted to go." Valanciunas had four points on seven shots in the first frame, a quarter the Raptors won, also taking seven shots and scoring eight in the third, their next best quarter. As Toronto got steamrolled in the fourth, Valanciunas attempted just one field goal in over nine minutes. If the Raptors hope to diversify their offence, which has largely been centred on Gay and DeRozan, they must find ways to incorporate their centre more consistently, a task thats easier said than done given the teams personnel and the sophomores continued development on both ends of the floor. Up next After winning one of four games during their season-long home stand, the Raptors travel west next week. Their first stop is in Oakland to face the Golden State Warriors. ' ' '

DENVER -- Prosecutors said Friday that they are dropping a domestic violence case against Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov because they have new information leading them to believe they couldnt win a conviction. Varlamov was arrested and charged with misdemeanour assault after his girlfriend told police he knocked her down with a kick, stomped on her chest and dragged her by her hair at their apartment on Oct. 30. The girlfriend, Evgeniya Vavrinyukat, also accused him of telling her that he would have beaten her more if they had been in Russia, where he is from, authorities said. Lynn Kimbrough, a spokeswoman for the Denver District Attorneys Office, declined to offer specifics on the new information that led prosecutors to drop the case. She said it surfaced from additional interviews with witnesses. "This is not an indication that we didnt believe our victim," Kimbrough said. "It is ... simply not having the ability to prove it." Vavrinyukats attorney, Robert Abrams, had no comment, his office said. Varlamovs lawyer was preparing a statement. Varlamov, 25, has been free on US$5,000 bond and has been travelling and playing with the team. He could have faced a sentence ranging from probation to two years in jail if convicted. He is 16-8 with a 2.37 goals-against average this season. Dan Hampton Womens Jersey .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. Richard Dent Bears Jersey . Steve has built a solid reputation throughout the years - first as a hockey player, then as an NHL general manager and now as a scout. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-William-Perry-Jersey/. This time, Tebow was in a groove the entire second half -- not just in the waning minutes -- and his teammates on defence were getting gobbled up. Mitchell Trubisky Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. Dick Butkus Youth Jersey . His stated reason for abruptly resigning as head coach of Canadas Olympic womens hockey team was he felt there were doubts about his ability to coach the team to Olympic gold in February.They say a trip to play Celtic is a vital part of your footballing education. And, of course, when I say they, I mean some of the greatest to ever play the game. Barcelonas Xavi: "The atmosphere generated by the fans in Celtics stadium for our visit was the most impressive Ive ever witnessed. The grounds of Liverpool and Manchester United are good and the hostile feeling of playing against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu is also excellent, but the atmosphere against Celtic was the best." If the opinion of Xavi is not enough, how about someone equally as brilliant and smart. Someone like Paolo Maldini... "Every professional footballer should seek to play at least one game at Celtic Park. I have never felt anything like it," he said. The great thing about Maldini and Xavi is that they are all-time greats, not only for the way they played on the field but also for the way they carried themselves off it. They speak, you listen. They remain two of the smartest players I have ever watched and listened to. Throughout their long careers at the top of the game, they certainly never referred to themselves as one of the games best players. And then there is Mario Balotelli and the comments he made to the Scottish Sun newspaper this week: "I have heard all about the fans and the atmosphere they create - and my message to them is bring it on! "If fans want to try and make a stadium hostile for me - or boo me because I am one of the best players in the world - then I hope they do." One of the best players in the world, eh? Okay. The Italian touched down in Glasgow this week having played a total of 27 Champions League games in his career. For his three teams, Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan, he was important enough to only have started just 11 of those, coming on 16 times as a substitute. He had scored just seven Champions League goals in 1,276 minutes played, averaging a goal every 182 minutes. For Inter, he was nothing more than an after-thought on their way to glory in 2010 while at City, he started just two of 12 matches, spread over two frustrating campaigns for both club and player. The third chapter in his Champions League career is back at the San Siro. For now. The thing with Mario is, you just never quite know what he is going to do next, and that includes choosing where to play. On Saturday, in a league game against Genoa, Balotelli missed a penalty in a frustrating 1-1 draw that sent the Italian giants down to 13th in Serie A. After the match he took to twitter to thicken the plot. This is the end. :-) - Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) November 24, 2013 Before the Genoa match, he had told the Italian press I am happy at Milan and I am happy to be here. Balotelli certainly played happy, despite making it eight straight games without a goal, and was a menace throughout the match and arguably Milans best performer. That didnt stop Milan fans from voicing their complaints after the game towards Balotelli and his teammates. It is hard to blame them. Their performances, just like their league position, have not been good enough. Yet, with the transfer window closed until January, this is not a club Balotelli can run away from. At Inter and Manchester City, Balotelli wass surrounded by a plethora of outstanding players who could easily demand a starting spot ahead of the Italian, who could happily move aside and away from having to perform on the field.dddddddddddd At Milan, things are very different. An out-of-form Balotelli, smiling or sulking, remains the clubs best option up front. There will be no sitting on the bench for Mario. And so with that presents the self-proclaimed one of the best players in the world an opportunity, a run of games to help carry Milan back towards the top three in Serie A and into the last 16 of the Champions League. "Great atmosphere always brings the best out of me," he had said in the run-up to the game and so it proved. The game was effectively over as a contest just after half-time, with Milans both goals coming from corners that Celtic failed to deal with, killing the usual atmosphere Celtic Park is famed for. Much will be made of Kakas easy header inside the box to open the scoring but it was Balotellis run from a deep position that led to a free kick that won the corner and placed Milan into scoring territory. It was to be that kind of day for Balotelli, a day where he would have to bide his time, show patience and a mature side to his game when waiting to receive the ball. It is these kind of games that people have wondered about the 23-year-old. He is built very much like a striker who can play up top on his own, but his overall attitude and tendency to drift out of games is one of the reasons he hasnt started as many Champions League games as he should have. At Celtic, he had an appetite to come deep to receive the ball, start quick counter-attacks with his midfielders and drift wide to provide key outlets and pull the central defenders into areas they dont want to go. Balotelli would get rewarded for his hard work when he scored his eighth career Champions League goal in the second half, coming deep, before timing a run superbly, sprinting into space to receive a great ball from Riccardo Montolivo and finishing it off at the near post. He also used his supreme strength to brush aside the defender, let the ball run, and not even touch it until he kicked it into the net. He wasnt the best player on the pitch for Milan but on this night, he didnt need to be. The fantastic Kaka, playing behind Balotelli, was, as the Brazilian rolled back the years with a sensational performance that included powerful runs from distance, incisive passes and an ease at finding space. Kaka, unfortunately, wont be given such space by many teams in Italy and so the responsibility of carrying Milan back towards respectability falls at the feet of Balotelli. In Glasgow, perhaps without even knowing or caring, he passed another test of his footballing education and finally showed signs that he does have an ability to lead the line for a team in Europes elite club competition. He is far from one of the worlds best players but if he wants to get anywhere near to the level once shown by Maldini, and still shown by Xavi, the European Champions League gives him the stage to perform. We know how much he likes a stage, now it is up to him to ensure what he does on it. Why Always Me? The truth is it hasnt been about you enough, Mario. ' ' '

PHOENIX - After a two-week absence, LeBron James was back in the Cleveland lineup when the Cavaliers met the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.The four-time MVP had taken time off to rest his sore left knee and lower back.Obviously were happy to have him back, Cavaliers coach David Blatt said before the game. Hes a very big part of our team, a dominant player in the NBA. I would just caution to be fair with him, he hasnt played competitive basketball for eight games, and thats not a normal thing for LeBron.Cleveland went 1-7 in James absence and had lost five in a row going into the game against the Suns. The Cavaliers fell to 19-19 and are sixth in the Eastern Conference.James practiced with the team on Monday, then made a quick trip to Texas to cheer on Ohio State in the college football national championship game. He said he got back to Phoenix at 12:30 a.m.Monday was the first time he had practiced since his layoff.At the morning shootaround, James said he felt a little sore, a little tight, which I figured.I havent done no basketball as far as live drills in two weeks, he said, so my bodys a little sore but not hurting.James said that sitting and watching the Cavaliers struggle was the most difficult thing Ive gone through.The team was six games above .500 when he shut it down.Weve got to approach every game with a sense of urgency, James said. I hated the fact we were playing some pretty decent ball when I went out. We lost a lot of games while I was out.Blatt said he wanted to limit James Tuesday night in the low 30-minute range if that.Im sure like any other human being it will take him a little bit of time to find his normal rhythm, Blatt said, but I know hell go out there and give us everything hes got.Veteran forward Shawn Marion also returned for the Cavaliers after missing two games with a left hip strain.It was the first time that James played with recently acquired guard J.R. Smith and centre Timofey Mozgov.Were still kind of in a flux, Blatt said, but its a heck of a lot better having those guys (James and Marion) out there. Jack Lambert Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open. Donnie Shell Steelers Jersey . Jesus Navas bookended yet another huge home win for City by scoring after 14 seconds and again in second-half stoppage time, with Sergio Aguero also netting in each half to add to an own goal by Sandro and a brilliant strike by Alvaro Negredo. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/Steel...il-Hoge-Jersey/. The Raptors two leading scorers were never able to co-exist the way they hoped or the team had envisioned, but individually DeRozan was thriving, in the midst of a career season. Joe Greene Steelers Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (4) – He had a strong game Sunday; was very good in tight with big saves on Crosby, Malkin and Neal in-crease. Jerome Bettis Womens Jersey . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS.MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- For the second consecutive night, the Memphis Grizzlies slowed down Houston and walked away with a win. Mike Conley scored 17 points, Zach Randolph had 15 points and 17 rebounds, and the Grizzlies nearly held the Rockets to their lowest output of the season in a 99-81 victory Saturday. "We tried to slow them down," Randolph said. "They like to get up and down the court. They like to run and gun. We just tried to get back and play and get stops." The formula was similar to Friday, when the Grizzlies won 88-87 in Houston, but this time Memphis took control early. The Grizzlies held the Rockets to 37 per cent shooting and built the lead to as many as 27 points before both teams sent in reserves to finish the game. Courtney Lee also had 15 points and Kosta Koufos scored 14, hitting seven of his eight shots from the field. James Johnson added 12 points for Memphis and Nick Calathes had a season-high 11. James Harden led the Rockets with 16 points, and Chandler Parsons scored 11. Dwight Howard had 10 points and 12 rebounds, but Houstons three-game road winning streak was snapped. "The last two games weve been terrible offensively," Parsons said. "Their pace works for them. They make you play a half-court offence. They are physical. They grab. They reach. They hold. When you do that so much, they are not going to call every single foul." Memphis bench outscored the Rockets reserves 44-27. The Grizzlies also had a 56-32 advantage in the paint and a 52-38 edge on the boards. The Grizzlies, as they did Friday, controlled the pace of the game, holding Houston to its second-lowest scoring output this season. Houstons season low was 80 points on Jan. 10 at Atlanta. Rockets coach Kevin McHale said beffore the game that Houston needed a score in the 100s to overcome Memphis deliberate, grind-it-out pace.dddddddddddd That game plan went awry when the Rockets, who entered averaging 105.5 points, managed only 14 in the first quarter. "They beat us. Bottom line," McHale said. "They beat us (Friday) night, and they beat us up again (Saturday). They got offensive rebounds. They moved the ball. They caught us being stagnant, and they were better than us by far." Memphis extended its 11-point halftime lead by outscoring the Rockets 25-19 in the third quarter. Lee had nine points in the period and Harden scored 10 for the Rockets, limited to five field goals out of 21 shots. Three of those baskets were by Harden. From there, Memphis stretched the lead to 27 midway through the fourth, and McHale began sending in his backups. Parsons, who connected on 10 shots from 3-point range Friday, finished 1 of 6 from long range, part of the Rockets going 9 of 32 from 3-point territory. Memphis has won 12 of its last 17 and is 5-1 since Marc Gasol returned from a knee injury. Several Grizzlies said the team appears on the verge of regaining the identity it had during recent playoff runs. "Were ready to win and we prepare like we want to win," Johnson said. "We travel like we want to win, and everybody is holding each other accountable. When you put those things together, we beat teams bad." NOTES: Since moving to Memphis, the only other time the Grizzlies played a home-and-home set on back-to-back nights was in 2006 against the Dallas Mavericks. ... Randolph played his 300th game for the Grizzlies and posted his 189th double-double, tying Pau Gasols total with the team. ... The Rockets were held under 90 points for the sixth time this season. ' ' '

DENVER -- Kenneth Faried was all smiles in Denvers locker room. And with good reason. The Nuggets forward scored a career-high 34 points and added 13 rebounds to lead Denver to a 137-107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. "When I got my second foul, I sat down and looked up said, Wow, I have nine (points) already. I havent really played that much. This might be a career game," Faried said. "Thats what I love to do -- have fun and play basketball. When its that exciting and that much fun you have no worries, really. You just think about winning. "Coach (Brian Shaw) wanted me to impose my will on (the Pelicans) Anthony Davis ... not shy away or back down." That wasnt an issue in the second half, when Davis sat out with back spasms. He finished with six points and three rebounds. Tyreke Evans scored 27 points to lead New Orleans. The Nuggets raced to a 40-26 lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back, making 15 of 27 3-pointers compared to 2 of 9 for New Orleans, a 39-point difference. The 137 points tied the Nuggets season scoring high. "They (Nuggets) just ran up and down the court and did what they wanted to do. They did make some unbelievable 3s, they were on fire tonight," Evans said. "We knew that at the beginning of the game Faried was going to come out aggressive and we didnt do a good job of stopping him." The Pelicans had no answers inside for Faried, who went unchecked numerous times for backdoor dunks and easy short jumpers. "I think that is how Faried should be playing," teammate Ty Lawson said. "I compare him to a little bit like Charles Barkley the way he can get the ball to the rim, make good decisions and pass it." Farieds previous career best was 32 points against the Lakers on March 7. "He is succeeding in areas he has struggled in before and so that is just making him supremely confident," Shaw said. "When you have that (confidence) then the game starts to slow down for you." The Pelicans trailed 71-53 at halftime. The 71 points were the most they allowed in the first half this season. The previous high was 64 points twice. "We didnt play well to start the game. In the month of March we set a high bar for how we can play, regardless of whos on the floor," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "Since Ive been here weve never given up these type of numbers with our defence." Denver led 105-81 after three quarters and cruised to the victory from there. "Thats the toughest part for me, allowing teams to score like that," Williams said. "Thought they had way too many easy points in the paint." Reserve Aaron Brooks scored 24 points for Denver, going 6 of 8 from beyond the arc. "I just wanted to be more aggressive. Talked to coach before the game and he said he wanted at least three, so I got that quota," Brooks said. "The big guy (Davis) wasnt in there (in the second half), and once hes out its time to attack the rim. We shared the ball and had a lot of assists." The victory moved the Nuggets ahead of the Pelicans for 11th place in the Western Conference and gave them a split of the four-game season series. The Nuggets led in assists (34-21) and blocks (12-7) and committed fewer turnovers (11-16). The Pelicans held a 42-40 rebounding edge. NOTES: Nuggets F Wilson Chandler missed his sixth straight game with a left groin strain. ... Pelicans G Eric Gordon missed his seventh consecutive game with tendinitis in his left knee. ... The Nuggets tied their season high with 12 blocks. . The Nuggets 15 3-pointers tied their season high. Henrik Lundqvist Rangers Jersey . In the opener of the World Group first-round series, world No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont. Brett Howden Rangers Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/p...-hockey-jersey/. Although the deal cannot be made official until the free agent moratorium period is lifted on July 10, Patterson has agreed to a three-year, $18 million extension to remain in Toronto, sources confirm to TSN. Wayne Gretzky Jersey . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. Filip Chytil Jersey .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night.CHICAGO - Alexei Ramirez is finding different ways of helping the White Sox earn dramatic victories. Ramirez scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a throwing error and the Chicago White Sox edged the Boston Red Sox 2-1 on a frigid Tuesday night. Tied at one, Red Sox reliever Burke Badenhop (0-2) allowed a one-out single to Ramirez. After Tyler Flowers struck out, Chris Capuano replaced Badenhop. Capuano walked Adam Eaton to move Ramirez to second. Then with a 3-2 count, Marcus Semien hit a grounder to Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, who one-hopped his throw to first baseman Mike Carp. Carp wasnt able to scoop the throw and Ramirez, who was already running on the pitch never stopped when rounding third and scored without a throw. "There were two outs so I was going all the way with two outs, so my idea was to go ahead and get to home plate regardless of what happened," said Ramirez, who also beat the Cleveland Indians with a two-run homer in the ninth inning on Sunday. Bogaerts was disappointed with his throw to Carp. "Its cold weather, but thats no excuse for that play. Thats a ball I shouldve thrown right at the chest to him," Bogaerts said. "I knew it was going to bounce, it took a weird bounce, but I should have thrown it at his chest to Carp and gone into extra innings." The Red Sox didnt think Semien checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch that wouldve sent the game into extra innings. "Yes. The check swing from the open side clearly looked like — given some of the other check swings that were called here tonight — it was more extensive than some other ones. But we dont get the call, Red Sox manager John Farrell said. White Sox reliever Daniel Webb (1-0) got one out in the ninth for the victory. The temperature at first pitch was 40 degrees. All the players except for White Sox starter Erik Johnson and Eaton wore long sleeves under their jerseys and the upper deck was closed because of ice on the ramps. Adam Dunn homered for the White Sox, who have won four of their past five games and two straight in their final at-bat. The White Sox are off to a surprising 8-6 start after losing 99 games last season. Dunn is pointing to their patience at the plate as one of the reasons. "For the most part all year, weve had really good at-bats. I think thats why. It seems like were in (teams) bullpens seems early in each and every game. That take a toll," Dunn said. Daniel Nava homered for Boston, which has lost three straight. First baseman Mike Napoli left in the top of the ninth inning after injuring his left ring finger sliding into second base. With two outs, Napoli advanced to second on Donnie Veals wild pitch. Napoli slid head first into second and dislocated his left ring finger against the base. X-Rays on Napolis finger was negative. "Yeah I really dont do it often. But on a play like that when I dont know what kind of throw or whats going to happen and I see Alexei coming across.dddddddddddd Its my first instinct to try and get to the bag as quick as possible," Napoli said. Red Sox starter Jake Peavy allowed one run and three hits in six innings on 113 pitches against his former team in his third straight no-decision. He struck out eight and walked four. Johnson pitched 6 2-3 innings and struck out a career-high nine in his eighth career start. The 24-year old right-hander allowed one run and three hits with two walks. Before the game, the White Sox paid tribute to the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. The White Sox players wore "Boston Strong" T-shirts during pregame and there was a video montage along with a moment of silence. In the second inning, White Sox manager Robin Ventura challenged a call by first base umpire Cory Blaser. Ventura challenged that Napolis foot was off the base when he fielded Bogaerts throw to get Jose Abreu. The replay was ruled inconclusive so Blasers call was upheld. Dunn followed with his third homer of the season. "Obviously it is fun to compete against a guy like that," Dunn said of facing Peavy. "A lot of times you will be on the short end of it, but its fun stuff." Peavy actually heard Dunns bat break on the home run. "His bat broke. We broke his bat. Normally youll take your chances when that happens. Most people arent as strong as he is. He always used to say this ballpark played big to fair. "Im going to go on record and have fun with him tonight and tell him in big to fair ballparks, a broken-bat homer doesnt get out," Peavy said. "A good hitter getting a pitch he can get up in the air and thats what he does. He hits the ball out of the ballpark." David Ortiz was called out on strikes in the fourth inning on an appeal to third base umpire Doug Eddings. Ortiz was livid after Eddings ruled that the slugger didnt check his swing. Farrell had to intervene to prevent Ortiz from being thrown out of the game. With two outs, Nava tied the game with a solo shot to right. It was his second homer of the season. NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia hopes to be back in the lineup on Wednesday night. Hes been out with a sore left wrist and received a cortisone shot on Monday after MRI tests came back negative. He entered the game as a pinch-runner for Napoli in the ninth and stayed in the game at second base. ... Red Sox closer Koji Uehara threw a bullpen session before the game and is expected to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday. Farrell expects to have Uehara available on Thursday. ...Red Sox OF Shane Victorino is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with one of the clubs minor league affiliates later this week. ... White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham, who is with Double-A Birmingham on a rehab assignment for an injured oblique, was 0 for 6 with a walk and a run in a doubleheader. ' ' '