ekansekans's blog: "df"

Reasons To Believe 1. Armed And Dangerous - Matt Ryan threw for 4,177 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2011 as Atlanta ranked fourth in passes attempted. A team that was once reliant on their running game has opened up the playbook throwing to Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. Jacquizz Rodgers is a dynamic back that can catch swing passes and take them to the house. The Falcons offence has all the elements to finally compete with the likes of Green Bay and New Orleans. 2. From Weakness To Strength - Asante Samuel joins a secondary that finished 20th in the NFL against the pass. By acquiring Samuel via trade, the Falcons now have three corners - Samuel, Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson - to help combat passing attacks. Samuel may be on the downside his career, but his presence helps bump everyone a notch down the depth chart, ultimately upgrading Atlantas secondary. 3. Take It Easy - No one knows exactly how difficult a schedule will be before the season starts, but on paper Atlanta might owe the schedule makers a gift of some sort. Prior to their Week 7 bye, the Falcons face the all four teams from the AFC West, as well as the Redskins and Panthers. Not to set the bar too high, but there is a chance Atlanta reaches their bye week undefeated. Reasons To Doubt 1. Whos On Deck? - If Ryan is sidelined at any point in the year, Luke McCown would be thrust into the starting lineup. Chris Redman was released in camp and the team brought in McCown to serve as the new backup. McCown will take some time to learn the system, but he is a slight upgrade on the departing Redman.  2. Centre of Attention - Curtis Lofton is no longer manning the centre of Atlantas defence after leaving the team in free agency. That could be a significant loss considering Lofton was a dependable tackler and a leader on the defensive side of the ball. Third round pick Akeem Dent will get the first chance to start, with veteran Mike Peterson there as a safety net. 3. Down To A Flicker - Turner was well worth the free agent contract the Falcons signed him for to lure him away from the Chargers in 2008. Turner has averaged more than four yards per carry and scored double digit touchdowns ever since he arrived in Atlanta. However, those days may be coming to a quick end in 2012. Turner faded badly down the stretch last season, aside from a huge output against a Buccaneers team that had given up on their coach. The Falcons will need the younger, quicker Rodgers to step up and help keep the run game productive. What To Expect Even with Turner falling off, the Falcons are more than capable of challenging for the NFC Championship. New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter plans to set the passing attack loose to maximize the talents of the teams skill players. Assuming the defence is able to hold their own, Atlanta should return to the post-season and put up more of a fight than they have in their last two playoff outings. Adrian Peterson Jersey . "The critical component is composure," said CTVOlympics rowing analyst Barney Williams prior to the race. While the Canadian crew maintained their composure throughout with a well-executed race, it was not enough to keep up with a strong field of competition. Peterson Elite Jersey . The Titans announced the roster move Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 306-pound DeVan signed with the Titans in June and was waived in the final roster cuts. http://www.azulvirtual.org/new.html .A. Dickeys best season yet ended with a no-decision and some surprising news: Hell have surgery Oct. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Stevie Johnson and the Buffalo Bills offence suddenly have one thing in common. Both are moving in reverse. The Bills leading receiver found himself backpedaling Monday, a day after openly questioning coach Chan Gaileys offensive play calling following a 20-13 loss at Indianapolis. Johnson said he misspoke when suggesting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick take over the play-calling duties from Gailey. What he meant to say is Fitzpatrick should have more opportunities to change plays at the line of scrimmage. "I didnt mean changing play-calling duties and all that," Johnson said. "I may have said it, but what I meant to say was audible and giving Fitz the audible a little more." Johnson said he should have chosen his words more carefully, and can appreciate why his comments could be perceived as challenging Gailey. He blamed himself, saying he spoke the heat of the moment following a loss that all but mathematically ended the Bills chances of making the playoffs. "Its all frustration," Johnson said. "I was just frustrated because I know what was at stake playing against Indianapolis, playing against an AFC opponent and feeling like we need to take their spot. And then they beat us." The Bills (4-7) have lost four of five and fallen to the fringes of the playoff race in preparing to host Jacksonville (2-9) on Sunday. Gailey played down the stir the comments created, saying he understands Johnsons intention. "I know where hes coming from. Stevie just wants to win," he said. "If you know a guy, you know where his heart is. Even though he might not have said it exactly right, you know where his heart is. And I know Stevie." Whatever Johnson meant to say, he did get at least one thing right. Somethings got to change to a Gailey-designed, Fitzpatrick-run offence thats been sputtering at best and has lacked finish for much of the past two months. Buffalo has topped 310 yards on offence and scored more than 19 points just twice in its past seven games. The offence has been particularly lethargic in the red zone over its past eight games. In their last 25 drives that entered an opponents 20, the Bills have scored nine touchdowns and settled for 12 field goals. Against Indianapolis, Buffalo was limited to scoring a touchdown and two field goals on three red-zone opportunities.dddddddddddd The lack of production is what sparked Johnsons outburst following the game, when he said: "I think we need to let our quarterback call these plays. Hes out there on the field. He sees the adjustments that need to be done." Johnson then added: "I think that (Fitzpatrick) has the ability to control the offence 100 per cent. I think we should take advantage of that." This marked the second time in three weeks Johnsons been perceived to question Gaileys play-calling decisions. Following a 37-31 loss at New England on Nov. 11, Johnson second-guessed why rookie T.J. Graham -- and not a more established receiver -- was the intended targeted when Fitzpatrick threw an interception in the end zone in the final seconds. Johnson on Monday said he would never question Gailey because he owes his success to the coach. After riding the bench for much of his first two seasons in Buffalo, Johnson finally got his shot in 2010, Gaileys first season. Ever since, the former seventh-round draft pick blossomed into the teams No. 1 receiver, which led to him signing a five-year, $36.25 million contract in March. "Im not questioning my coach," Johnson said. "Ive got too much respect for him to go about it the way its perceived to be. So everythings good." Fitzpatrick was put into the position of having to defend both his coach and receiver. The quarterback said hes comfortable with the freedom Gailey provides him to call plays when opportunities present themselves. As for Johnson, Fitzpatrick accepted the receivers explanation. "I know, this morning, he was a little distraught because he felt like what he was saying got misconstrued as he was questioning Chan," Fitzpatrick said. "And thats not the point that he was trying to get across. But you can ask him. He loves Chan." NOTES: DE Chris Kelsays status is uncertain after the 10-year veteran aggravated a neck injury against Indianapolis. ... Gailey called it "touch and go" whether DE Mark Anderson (left knee) and cornerback Aaron Williams (right knee) will be ready this week. Anderson has missed six games and Williams three. ... Buffalo has converted six of 25 third-down chances in its past two games. ' ' ' 

LAS VEGAS -- Jonas Blixt birdied six of the last seven holes Saturday for a 5-under 66 and a share of the lead with Ryan Moore and Brendon de Jonge in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Moore had a bogey-free 65, and de Jonge birdied four of the last five for a 66 to match Blixt at 19-under 194 in the Fall Series opener at TPC Summerlin. "Today was just a good solid day," Moore said. "I didnt do anything amazing, but at the same time, I just did what Ive been doing this whole week, just put it in play, gave myself a bunch of wedges, 9-irons into greens, and was able to convert a bunch of my reasonable birdie chances." Moore, a former UNLV player who lives in Las Vegas, won the 2009 Wyndham Championship for his lone PGA Tour title. Blixt, from Sweden, and de Jonge, from Zimbabwe, are winless on the tour. The three leaders played in the same group. "It was great today," Blixt said. "Theyre both great guys, was very relaxed out there, and I just had a good time. Then they ran away a little bit, and then I got lucky, I got hot in the end and made some putts and was able to catch them in the end there. Im really looking forward to tomorrow." Moore shot a 61 to take the first-round lead, then slipped a stroke behind Blixt and de Jonge on Friday with a 68. "Its nice playing next to guys that are playing well and making putts," Moore said. "Sometimes it makes that hole look even bigger when you see them just keep dropping. Thats what was happening, especially on the back nine today. Both of them got rolling and made a bunch of birdies in a row, and I kind of threw in a couple here and there and kind of stayed there with them. "Theyre both great guys to play with. Ive played with Brendon quite a bit, but it was the first time Ive played with Jonas. I enjoyed talking to him and Im looking forward to tomorrow." De Jonge agreed. "When everyone is playing well you can feed off each other, and I think we did a good job of that today, saw a lot of putts go in," he said. "Everyone played well, and hopefully well have more of the same tomorrow." Jimmy Walker and Tim Herron were five strokes back. Walker had a 66, and Herron shot 68. John Daly, tied for sixth at 10 under after a season-best 63 on Friday, had a 15-over 86 to drop to last among the 72 players who made the cut. He had a quadruple bogey, a triple bogey, two double bogeys, six bogeys and two birdies in his worst round of the season. "I cant remember a time when I had a stretch of so many bad holes, where I hit a couple bad shots but didnt really hit that many bad shots. This course, everybody shoots it low, but theres times where nothing just goes right. I short-sided myself all day. If I missed a green, I had the most impossible chips. I couldnt make a 4-footer today, and I had the lefts going. Usually if I miss the ball, its right, so that confused me a little bit. Its almost you get off to a start like that, your body just almost goes into shock, and every time I tried to hit a cut, Id hit a pull, and every time Id try to hit a draw, Id flare it right." At 132nd on the money list, the two-time major champion is trying to move into the top 125 to secure full playing privileges for next season. "Its just a rough day," Daly said. "Just a tough day." David Hearn (69) of Brantford, Ont., is 13 shots off the place in a tie for 40th. De Jonge wasnt worried about dwelling on his lofty position on the leaderboard. "No, in Vegas, I definitely wont be thinking about the tournament," de Jonge said. "Theres a lot of other stuff to do in this place. It wont be hard to get away from it all. Thats whats nice about playing a tournament in a place like this. Its very easy to get away from golf once youre done. Cheap NFL Jerseys Paypal . Its also given a last-place team such as the Cubs an encouraging glimpse of the future. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale .C. -- Mike Dunlaps reputation as a crazy worker was among the things that impressed the Charlotte Bobcats. http://www.bwjerseys.com/ .C. -- Forbes annual ranking of Americas Most Influential Athlete has placed NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson at the top of the list for the second consecutive year.SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame suspended starting tailback Cierre Wood two games for violating team rules, leaving the Fighting Irish without their 1,000-yard rusher against Navy and Purdue. Wood led the Irish in rushing last year with 1,102 yards and scored nine rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Wood, a senior, played in all 13 games in 2011 with nine starts. Theo Riddick and George Atkinson III will likely be the Irishs top two ball carriers now that Wood is out. Coach Brian Kelly also announced Sunday that junior defensive end Justin Utupo was suspended for the games against Navy in Dublin, Ireland on Sept. 1 and the home opener the following Saturday against Purdue. "Our players are aware of tthe standards I set for our program and that failure to meet my expectations will result in consequences," Kelly said in a release.dddddddddddd "Justin and Cierre violated our team rules so Ive suspended them for the first two games of the season." Utupo played in 12 games in 2011, primarily on special teams, and was a reserve defensive end on the most recent Notre Dame depth chart. Earlier, Kelly suspended quarterback Tommy Rees and linebacker Carlo Calabrese for the season opener for their roles in a skirmish with police following an off-campus party in May. The Irish have also lost starting cornerback Lo Wood for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. He underwent surgery on Wednesday. ' ' ' 

HOUSTON -- Carter Ashton struck twice and the Marlies scored four unanswered goals as Toronto rallied for a 6-4 win over the Houston Aeros on Thursday in American Hockey League action. Ashton opened scoring for the Marlies (4-4-1) in the first period and scored the winner midway through the third. Keith Aucoin had a goal and an assist for Toronto, while Ryan Hamilton, Jake Gardiner and Leo Komarov all had singles. "We started off good but in the middle of the second period there the team kind of wavered and we gave a couple back," said Ashton. "I think that third period was a huge building moment for the whole team." Justin Fontaine, Chad Rau, Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle gave Houston (5-4-2) a 4-2 lead after two periods. Ben Scrivens made 24 saves to earn the win for the Marlies. Matt Hackett stopped 29 of 34 shots for the Aeros. Komarov started Torontos rally at the 7:20-mark of the third period, followed nearly five minutes later by Gardiners power-play goal. Ashton scored the Marlies winner 31 seconds after Gardiners goal and Hamilton added some insurance when he put the puck into Houstons empty net. Toronto went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Aeros were 0-for-4. Wholesale Jerseys . Wiggins won with a total time of 50 minutes, 39.54 seconds. Canadian Ryder Hesjedal crossed in a time of 56:06.18, good for 28th position. At the first split, Wiggins was back of world champion Tony Martin of Germany. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . on the 15-day disabled list on Monday with a left hip injury and recalled Elian Herrera from Triple-A Albuquerque. http://elevatedcolor.com/hot.html . McIlroy lost to Matt Kuchar by six shots and Woods fell to Charl Schwartzel by one shot on Tuesday in the $5.2 million event at the Sultan course in Antalya. In the other group of the medal match-play format, Lee Westwood beat Webb Simpson by one shot and Justin Rose defeated Hunter Mahan by four strokes.HARRISON, N.J. -- After cutting ties with coach Hans Backe and relieving general manager Erik Soler of his duties, the New York Red Bulls kept up their shakeup by waiving 10 players. Among the players waived Tuesday were veteran midfielders Jan Gunnar Solli and Teemu Tainio, defender Stephen Keel and goalkeeper Bill Gaudette. Solli came to the Red Bulls from Norway and played in 55 matchhes with three goals and 12 assists in two seasons.ddddddddddddTainio started 37 of 42 games over the past two seasons. Acquired from the Galaxy for a draft pick, Gaudette made 12 starts, posting a 1.33 goals against average, three shutouts and a 5-3-4 record. The team also hired former Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh as sporting director after been ousted in the playoffs. ' ' ' 

INDIANAPOLIS -- Sebastien Bourdais will race for the 2013 IndyCar championship with Dragon Racing. The team said Friday it has signed a multi-year contract with the French driver. "Its a privilege to have Seb once again piloting the No. 7," said team owner Jay Penske, who added the 2012 season "was a challenge for us on so many levels, but despite that, toward the end of last season we demonstrated that with the right equipment and strategy, Dragon Racing is a force to be reckoned with." Bourdais ran 11 of 15 races with Dragon last year. The season was plagued with problems related to engine issues, in part because Dragon opened the year partnered with Lotus. Penske threatened to sue to break his contract with Lotus, and the two-car team was released before the Indianapolis 500. Dragon switched to Chevrolet, but there was only one engine for Bourdais and teammate Katherine Legge to share for the rest of the season. Bourdais had a season-best finish of fourth at Mid-Ohio last season, and qualified third at Sonoma and Baltimore. His intention is to run the full 2013 season. "To kick things off that early is a great boost for 2013 after all the obstacles we had to go through in 2012," Bourdais said. "With the stability of the staff, the sponsors and the experience we amassed this year, I am very confident we can achieve great results next season." Cheap NFL Jerseys . Andrea Stramaccioni was promoted from youth club coach and will now direct the first team, Inter said on its website. He becomes Inters fifth different manager since Jose Mourinho departed upon leading Inter to a treble in 2010. Cheap Jerseys . LOUIS -- St. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . -- Mike Williams career that was reignited with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 came to an end Friday when he was suddenly cut by the Seahawks two weeks before the start of training camp. ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Boston Celtics will be the first to admit that they arent playing their best defensive basketball right now. But having two of the leagues best closers and one of its top point guards certainly helps with the rough patches. Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Pierce added 23 points and Rajon Rondo was one rebound shy of a triple double with 15 points and 16 assists as the Boston Celtics outlasted the Orlando Magic 116-110 in overtime Sunday night. The win was their second straight overall and sixth consecutive over the Magic. Pierce had 14 points after halftime, and said that despite his teams recent struggles defensively, it was a much needed character building kind of victory. "Thats what its all about," he said. "Finding a way to win. Not feeling sorry for ourselves late about giving up a pretty good lead. And just finding a way to grind it out. And thats what we did." J.J. Redick scored 21 and Jameer Nelson had 20 for the Magic, whose loss snapped a two-game win streak. Orlando led by as many as seven in the fourth quarter, but had 19 turnovers that led to 23 Celtics points. It was the seventh straight game in which the Magic have had at least 15 turnovers. It was also the latest in a string of games in which their own miscues cost them a win. "We had our chances. We definitely had our chances in overtime," Redick said. "We had a couple of bad possessions offensively. Well learn from that. ...You can talk about experience or execution. They just executed better than us in the end." After some early back-and-forth, the Celtics broke the overtime stalemate and took a 113-108 lead on a 3-pointer by Pierce, and layup by Rondo with 1:37 left. Nelson scored on a driving layup to trim it to three and the Magic got the ball back after Rondo came up with air on a 21-footer as the shot clock wound down. But Nelson fired up an off balance 3 on Orlandos ensuing touch, and following a foul, Garnett connected 1 of 2 free throws on the other end to make it 114-110 to lock up the victory. "Overall I thought we didnt play very well. I thought they played great," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "They played hard. Its like I said before the game, if you dont come in this game and play them and dont think hard basketball, youre not going to win. "Whether you have more talent or not, I thought that was a good lesson for our guys," Rivvers said.dddddddddddd It was a disappointing finish for what was a masterful second half by Nelson in which he carried the Magic nearly singlehandedly with 17 points in the final two quarters and overtime. "Overall we did a good job of playing against their veteran team," Nelson said. "Weve got such a young team. Theres a lot we can learn from this game." Nelson scored the Magics final eight points of the third quarter, including a fade away jumper to end the period to give the Magic a two-point edge entering the fourth. The lead grew as big as seven on a 3-pointer by Arron Afflalo with just over eight minutes remaining. The Celtics werent deterred, though, and immediately went on a 10-2 run to take the lead back at 98-97. Redick tied it again at 100 with a 3-pointer, but couldnt connect on a lob to Afflalo after chasing down a loose ball. The Celtics returned the favour with a turnover of their own, leading to a driving layup by Glen Davis. Boston quickly tied it again, and collected a rebound on its next possession after a missed jumper by Nelson with 30.4 left. After a Celtics timeout, Garnett missed an open jumper just inside the free throw line, but the ball caromed off a Magic player giving them another chance. But Pierce missed a leaning jumper at the buzzer to send it to overtime. Magic coach Jacque Vaughn shared Nelsons take on the positives that can come out of Sundays setback. "This is a great experience for us," Vaughn said. "We had guys contribute off the bench. Josh (McRoberts) came in and played some great minutes for us in regulation and overtime. And its a great sign to see guys wanting to play, waiting to play for each other, and contributing. So well put it all together." The Celtics return home on Wednesday for a pair of home games, beginning with Brooklyn on Wednesday. Though they still have several kinks to work out on the defensive end during their days off from game action, Garnett said he likes where his team is right now. The numbers might say otherwise right now, but he said their identity is still rooted in defence. "Were a defensive team that can score the basketball," Garnett said. "We always have been. As long as Docs going to be here, thats how its going to be." NOTES: Rondo has now had at least 10 assists in 37 consecutive games. ... The Magic lost for the first time this season when they score 100 or more points. ' ' ' 

NYON, Switzerland -- UEFA has banned FC Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira from taking charge of his team in Wednesdays Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United. Ferreira cannot contact his players before or during the match, or take his place on the touchline, UEFA said Tuesday. UEFA originally suspended him for two matches after he gestured toward the referee when a Porto goal was disallowed during a Champions League round of 16 match against Atletico Madrid on Feb. 24. Porto appealed and Ferreira was allowed to perform his duties as coach in Manchester last Tuesday when Porto earned a 2-2 draw in the first leg match. UEFAs appeals body reduced the sentence to a one-match touchline ban and deferred the second match suspension for a probationary period of two years. In a statement, UEFA said Ferreira "was in breach of the principles of sportsmanship. The verdict takes account of his unblemished disciplinary record." The appeal panel upheld a 25,000 euros (C$40,200) fine imposed on the Portuguese champion for its supporters behaviour in Madrid, where they chanted insults, threw missiles and set off fireworks in the Vicente Calderon stadium. Porto drew that match 2-2 and then held Atletico to a scoreless draw in Portugal to progress on the away goals rule, setting up a quarter-final meeting with defending champion United. Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . -- Oakland Raiders coach Dennis Allen will miss most of practice this week to be with his ill father in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Asked about the season title scenarios entering the Champions Tour finale, Tom Lehman said all he knew was "if I win, I win. http://studyworx.org/china.html . Scherzer pitched into the seventh inning, Young homered and the Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-3 on Thursday night to avoid a four-game series sweep.NEW YORK -- David Ortiz has had his walking boot removed, and the Boston Red Sox slugger is testing his strained right Achilles by taking batting practice before the game against the New York Yankees. Ortiz has been out since July 17 and he said Friday he was going "all in" by taking BP on the field instead of starting with the tee or in the cage. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednnesday.dddddddddddd Ortiz was leading the struggling Red Sox with a .316 average, 23 homers and 58 RBIs when he was injured. Boston is 3-6 since he last played and has fallen back below .500 at 49-50. Manager Bobby Valentine said Ortiz is on track to return when his rehab stint is over. The Red Sox designated hitter said hes not sure if hell be ready because "every day is different." ' ' ' 

TORONTO - Ken-Yon Rambo is getting another chance in the CFL. The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran wide receiver on Tuesday and expect to have him at practice on Thursday. Rambo, 33, was released by the Calgary Stampeders at the end of training camp after being hammered by an Achilles tendon injury. Rambo, who won a Grey Cup with Calgary in 2008, is eighth on the Stamps all-time list for receptions (406) and receiving yards (5,995). The six-foot-one, 207-pound Ohio State product is also 10th on Calgarys all-time touchdown receptions list with 39. "Weve closely monitored Ken-Yons progress and weve been impressed by his commitment to healing his injury," Argos general manager Jim Barker said in a release. "Were now very interested to see him perform on the football field." Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . Gasquet, who made the finals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday, was unable to maintain any momentum against Raonics attack. "I was hoping to play a little bit better last week," said Raonic, referring to his early exit from the Rogers Cup. Wholesale Jerseys Supply . -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sprained his left shoulder in the closing minutes of the NFC championship game and wont be able to play in Sundays Pro Bowl. http://www.wholesalechinajerseysmall.com/ .ca! Kerry, Having seen so many NHL games whilst in NHL cities (especially my Sharks), I have always wanted to know at what point in the game do the calls become more lenient.MINNEAPOLIS -- Adrian Peterson trampled the Detroit Lions down the stretch, then said again hes still not 100 per cent healthy. With Christian Ponder and the rest of the Vikings providing the necessary balance this time, Peterson padded his NFL rushing lead and put that supposedly devastating injury even further in the past. Peterson raced 61 yards for the game-sealing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, finishing with 171 yards on 27 carries for the Vikings in a 34-24 victory over the Lions on Sunday afternoon. "I still can get stronger. Im still not there, man. Im pressing to get there," Peterson said, adding: "Im going to come back stronger and better after the bye." Peterson had 120 yards in the final 15 minutes, 10 1/2 months after reconstructive surgery on his left knee. This was his third straight game with a 60-yard gain or longer. Ponder bounced back from three ugly weeks with 221 yards and two touchdowns on 24-for-32 passing for the Vikings (6-4), patiently looking for receivers and avoiding the dreaded turnover. "You could tell he was more confident, got into a rhythm," Peterson said. "He was just playing ball. Playing loose. Thats what we need from him." Rookie Jarius Wright filled in for injured standout Percy Harvin and scored in his first NFL game. Tight end Kyle Rudolph had a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, too. Ponder passed for almost as many yards in the first quarter of this game (57) as he did last week at Seattle (6-3). "Just going out and playing without worrying about the consequences of your throws," Ponder said. "Go out and let it rip, thats what I did." But with the Vikings, it always comes back to Peterson. He has 353 yards in the last two games and 1,128 yards already this season. "He hasnt lost a step at all from that knee surgery. He might even be better," left tackle Matt Kalil said. Calvin Johnson had 207 yards on 12 catches, including a touchdown that brought the Lions (4-5) a little closer with 1:53 left. But Johnsons lost fumble near midfield on the previous possession put Vikings rookie Blair Walsh in position for his fourth field goal. "I feel like we didnt play our best. Just speaking for myself: Theres a lot more we could put on the field," Johnson said. Matthew Stafford threw touchdown passes to Brandon Pettigrew and Titus Young to cap quick 80-plus-yard drives in the second half, fueled by Johnson and his ailing left knee that sure didnt look too bad. Their sluggish start, though, was too much to overcome. "We were backed up and going 80-plus, it felt like, the whoole game," Stafford said.dddddddddddd "Thats something thats going to be tough against a defence like that." Winning this game was critical for both teams and their quest to make the playoffs, which for the Lions would be their first consecutive appearances since three in a row from 1993-95 and for the Vikings would be their first since Brett Favres renaissance in 2009. The rest of the schedule is brutal on each side. Detroits remaining opponents took a combined 44-16 record into Sunday, and Detroit plays Green Bay and Houston next. The Lions can play five of their last seven contests at home, however. The Vikings face four of their final six on the road, with their only home games against Chicago and Green Bay. Their remaining foes had a 36-14 mark, entering the weekend. To have a fighting chance in this challenging stretch, the Vikings badly needed a boost for Ponder and their sputtering passing scheme. "If you want to be a good football team, these are the games that you really have to win," coach Leslie Frazier said. With Harvin unable to play because of a sprained left ankle, Wright made his first career catch count, flying past strong safety Erik Coleman on a post route for 54 yards. After being brought down at the goal line and scooped up in a bear hug by fellow wide receiver Jerome Simpson, the fourth-round draft pick from Arkansas caught a 3-yard pass in the corner three plays later for the 7-0 lead. The defence didnt force a turnover in either of the previous two games and allowed four straight 100-yard rushers, so progress was made there, too. Chad Greenways interception set up Walshs first field goal. Mikel Leshoures Lions-leading total was 43 yards rushing. "We knew it was out there. We just had to go figure out how to do it again," Greenway said. NOTES: The Lions havent won two games in a row at Minnesota since 1990-91. ... The Stafford-Johnson connection was their first this season for a touchdown. Johnsons only other score came from backup Shaun Hill in a Sept. 23 loss to Tennessee. ... Mistral Raymond (right ankle) returned from a six-game absence and rotated with Jamarca Sanford at FS for the Vikings. ... Ponder completed passes to nine different receivers plus one to himself that lost 15 yards, when Avril knocked the ball right back into his chest and took him down. ... Lions CB Chris Houston said hell "be OK" after leaving the game in the fourth quarter on a cart. He hurt his ankle and said a Vikings lineman intentionally landed with both knees on his lower leg. The Lions also lost DE Cliff Avril in the third quarter to a concussion. ' ' ' 

NEW YORK -- Nobody was happier about the Hall of Fame shutout than the Hall of Famers themselves. Goose Gossage, Al Kaline, Dennis Eckersley and others are in no rush to open the door to Cooperstown for anyone linked to steroids. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa: Keep em all out of our club. "If they let these guys in ever -- at any point -- its a big black eye for the Hall and for baseball," Gossage said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "Its like telling our kids you can cheat, you can do whatever you want, and its not going to matter." For only the second time in 42 years, baseball writers failed to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday, sending a firm signal that stars of the Steroids Era will be held to a different standard. All the awards and accomplishments collected over storied careers by Bonds, Clemens and Sosa -- all eligible for the first time -- could not offset suspicions those exploits were artificially boosted by performance-enhancing drugs. "Im kind of glad that nobody got in this year," Kaline said. "I feel honoured to be in the Hall of Fame. And I wouldve felt a little uneasy sitting up there on the stage, listening to some of these new guys talk about how great they were." Gossage went even further. "I think the steroids guys that are under suspicion got too many votes," he said. "I dont know why theyre making this such a question and why theres so much debate. To me, they cheated. Are we going to reward these guys?" Not this year, at least. Bonds received just 36.2 per cent of the vote and Clemens 37.6 in totals announced by the Hall and the Baseball Writers Association of America, both well short of the 75 per cent needed for election -- yet still too close for Gossages taste. Sosa, eighth on the career home run list, got 12.5 per cent. "Wow! Baseball writers make a statement," Eckersley wrote on Twitter. "Feels right." The results keep the sports career home run leader (Bonds) and most decorated pitcher (Clemens) out of Cooperstown -- for now. Bonds, Clemens and Sosa have up to 14 more years on the writers ballot to gain baseballs highest honour. "Even having just been considered for the first time is already great honour, and theres always a next time," Sosa said in a statement. "Baseball has been extremely good for me! Kiss to the heaven! It was an honour just to have been nominated. Im happy about that." Bonds, baseballs only seven-time MVP, hit 762 home runs -- including a record 73 in 2001. He has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating PEDs. Clemens, the games lone seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is third in career strikeouts (4,672) and ninth in wins (354). He was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using PEDs. "If you dont think Roger Clemens cheated, youre burying your head in the sand," Gossage said. Sosa, who finished with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLBs 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs. He also was caught using a corked bat during his career. "What really gets me is seeing how some of these players associated with drugs have jumped over many of the greats in our game," Kaline said. "Numbers mean a lot in baseball, maybe more so than in any other sport. And going back to Babe Ruth, and players like Harmon Killebrew and Frank Robinson and Willie Mays, seeing people jump over them with 600, 700 home runs, I dont like to see that. "I dont know how great some of these players up for election wouldve been without drugs. But to me, its cheating," he added. "Numbers are important, but so is integrity and character. Some of these guys might get in someday. But for a year or two, Im glad they didnt." Gossage, noting that cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles following allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs, believes baseball should go just as far. He thinks the record book should be overhauled, taking away the accomplishments of players like Bonds, Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire -- who has admitted using steroids and human growth hormone during his playing days. McGwire, 10th on the career home run chart, received 16.9 per cent of the vote on his seventh Hall try, down from 19.5 last year. "I dont know if baseball knows how to deal with this at all," Gossage said. "Why dont they strip these guys of all these numbers? Youve got to suffer the consequences. You get caught cheating on a test, you get expelled from school." Juan Marichal is one Hall of Famer who doesnt see it that way. The former pitcher believes Bonds, Clemens and Sosa belong in Cooperstown. "I think that they have been unfair to guys who were never found guilty of anything," Marichal said. "Their stats define them as immortals. Thats the reality and that cannot be denied." The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the players record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." While much of the focus this year was on Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, every other player with Cooperstown credentials was denied, too. Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, came the closest. He was chosen on 68.2 per cent of the 569 ballots, 39 shy of election. Among other first-year eligibles, Mike Piazza received 57.8 per cent and Curt Schilling 38.8. Jack Morris topped holdovers with 67.7 per cent. None of those players have been publicly linked to PED use, so its difficult to determine whether they fell short due to suspicion, their stats -- or the overall stench of the era they played in. "What were witnessing here is innocent people paying for the sinners," Marichal said. Hall of Fame slugger Mike Schmidt said that comes with the territory. "Its not news that Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, Palmeiro, and McGwire didnt get in, but that they received hardly any consideration at all. The real news is that Biggio and Piazza were well under the 75 per cent needed," Schmidt wrote in an email to the AP. "Curt Schilling made a good point. Everyone was guilty. Either you used PEDs, or you did nothing to stop their use. This generation got rich. Seems there was a price to pay." At ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 28, the only inductees will be three men who died more than 70 years ago: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank ODay and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1947. Authentic Peterson Jersey . Blatter defended world footballs ruling body, saying that a reform drive underway was working and restoring FIFAs credibility. He used a news conference to renew FIFAs call for world football to fight match-fixing and illegal betting, and said FIFA would seek to protect players who reported attempts to fix games. Adrian Peterson Womens Jersey . This week its an all Tiger-Cats edition of Three Downs as they discuss great moments in franchise history as they prepare to say goodbye to Ivor Wynne Stadium. http://www.azulvirtual.org/new.html . PAUL, Minn. MINNEAPOLIS -- This hasnt been the smoothest of seasons for C.C. Sabathia. Hes still coming through when it counts for the New York Yankees. Sabathia struck out 10 batters over eight innings and New York beat the Minnesota Twins 8-2 on Wednesday to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore in the AL East. The Orioles beat Toronto 12-2 on Wednesday night. The Yankees visit the Blue Jays for four games starting Thursday. Baltimore, after an off day, plays Boston at home this weekend. Sabathia will pitch again next week when the Yankees host the Red Sox. "This is what he can do. He can string a bunch of good ones together. And if theres a time, nows the time," manager Joe Girardi said. Sabathia (14-6) threw 89 of his 118 pitches for strikes, including three straight to Twins All-Star Joe Mauer for the second of his three strikeouts in the fourth inning. Mauer, who began the day three points in the batting race behind Detroits Triple Crown chaser Miguel Cabrera with a .326 average, went 0 for 4. "Thats the best Ive seen him, and Ive been watching him for a long time," Mauer said. "When I was up there he was both sides of the plate: fastball, slider, sinker. He threw me everything, and everything was working." Sabathia spent two stints on the disabled list this summer, for a strained left groin and an inflamed left elbow. This was his first win in six starts, and he credited impeccable command of his fastball to set up his other pitches. "Were in a race. We know its going to be tough. So you want to go out and do well every time out," Sabathia said, adding: "Hopefully, I can go out and pitch well again the next time. Ill take what I can out of this one and be ready to go five days from now." Robinson Cano hit a two-run double and Curtis Granderson added a two-run triple during a six-run third inning against Brian Duensing (4-11), and Sabathia took care of the rest. The burly lefty gave up six hits, two runs and one walk. Sabathia improved to 10-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last 11 appearances against the Twins, including the 2009 and 2010 post-season. He threw eight scoreless innings in his last start against Oakland, striking out 11, but didnt get the victory because the Yankees won in the 10th. Matt Carson and Pedro Florimon had RBI singles, but that was about the only solid contact Sabathia allowed. Chris Dickerson also hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who lost to the Twins on Tuesday night and played without third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who has a bruised left foot. Derek Jeters 19-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-4 afternoon, but he walked and scored in the third. The Yankees enjoyed a tension-free afternoon while winning for the 12th time in their last 16 games. Even the bad plays turned out all right.dddddddddddd Granderson was picked off first base in the second inning, but he scored on a wild pitch in the third. Eric Chavez, thinking there were two outs instead of one in the fifth inning, casually fielded a grounder at third and stepped on the base for the force as he jogged toward the dugout before stopping and realizing his mistake. Sabathia shouted assurance to Chavez, whose embarrassed "oops" expression was frozen on the jumbo video screen above left-centre field to the crowds amusement. "Im glad they were entertained," Chavez said, smiling. But after a passed ball by Chris Stewart put runners at second and third and threatened to exploit Chavezs blunder, Sabathia calmly retired Denard Span on a groundout to first to keep the lead at 6-1. If Chavez had tried to turn the double play, he mightve only got one out anyway, Girardi said, which wouldve led to a run on the passed ball. "Sometimes things work out right," Girardi said. After a leadoff double by Raul Ibanez in the sixth, Dickerson circled the bases with his drive off Anthony Swarzak, who was the second long reliever called on by the Twins. Starter Samuel Deduno struck out two without a hit or a run despite two walks. After the second one, though, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and assistant athletic trainer Dave Pruemer came to the mound for a long talk with the right-hander with two outs in the second inning. The diagnosis was irritation in his left eye, and Deduno was removed for Duensing. He put seven straight runners on, including two walks, before finishing the inning. Duensing, who started a post-season game against the Yankees in 2009 and 2010, let his ERA rise from 4.68 to 5.15. "I feel like were playing our best ball now, and this is the perfect time to be doing that," said Nick Swisher, who had an RBI single. NOTES: RH Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.94 ERA) pitches for the Yankees on Thursday against RH Brandon Morrow (8-7, 3.28 ERA) of the Blue Jays. The Twins are off on Thursday before hosting Detroit this weekend. Theyll send LH Scott Diamond (12-8, 3.64 ERA) to the mound on Friday, opposite RH Max Scherzer (16-7, 3.82 ERA) of the Tigers. ... The Yankees have homered in each of their last 12 games against the Twins, totalling 25 in that span. ... The Yankees notched their 90th win for the 15th time in the last 17 seasons. ... Swisher made a nifty scoop and throw to get Ben Revere out on a slow roller in the first inning. Hes been playing 1B with Mark Teixeira rehabilitating his strained right calf. "Im just trying to keep it warm until my boy Tex gets back," Swisher said. Girardi left open the possibility of Teixeira returning to the team this weekend in Toronto. ' ' ' 

CALGARY -- Jon Montgomery didnt disappear. One of the famous Canadian athletes to come out of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games did what he felt he needed to do to win another gold medal, which was not to race at all this season. Instead, the man as well known for auctioning off a pitcher of beer in Whistler, B.C., following his Olympic victory spent this winter tinkering and testing sleds while his rivals raced. "Im doing equipment development," Montgomery said. "Im trying to make sure that Im in the best possible position for success leading up to and including the 2014 Games. "This year is not a throw-away season, but it doesnt mean anything in terms of our road to 2014. This was the season to sacrifice competition and focus on those aspects." Montgomerys absence was noticeable at the recent two Canadian stops on the World Cup circuit -- Whistler last week and the Calgary stop that concludes with mens four-man bobsled Saturday. A Canadian man didnt finish in the top five in skeleton at either track. The season ends with the world championship next week in Lake Placid, N.Y. "For sure, you always want to be playing, you always want to be competing," Montgomery said. "Thats an easy pill to swallow knowing Im making the best use of my time right now in this aspect of equipment development and the programs Ive been working on. "This is definitely the best use of my time for sure." Montgomery opened the season after his Olympic win with a World Cup victory on the same Whistler track. But he finished no higher than sixth the rest of the season. Montgomery ended up ninth in the overall World Cup standings and 11th in the 2011 world championships. It wasnt as if he suddenly couldnt drive. Montgomery decided then he had to aggressively research how to build a better sled. As he put it, "the 2014 season is not the time to be trying new things." The 32-year-old from Russell, Man., wants the technology to win on any track, not just Whistler. Hes doing it with the help of Standens, a company that specializes in axels and suspensions and built his winning ride for 2010. "Theres certain tracks I wasnt able to compete on, Calgary being one of them. Whistler not one of them," Montgomery said. "My old setup was perfect for Whistler, but Im trying to create something that I can win week-in and week-out on and when I come to the track, I want to know that I can win. "If I dont take ownership of that process, then you are always left wondering what could have been done. I dont want to have those types of thoughts standing on the start line, should I be fortunate enough to earn a spot in 2014." Montgomerys hiatus also allowed him to take a breather from relentless training, which he feels will also help him in the long run. "Im not letting myself go and becoming a fat mess or anything," he says. "I am certainly staying healthy and getting ready to hit the ground running this April and do lots of dryland training." Montgomery married fellow slider Darla Deschamps last summer. She was coming off a breakout rookie season, placing in the top five of four World Cup races and placing eighth at the world championship. But her competitive season ended in December when Deschamps suffered a concussion while training in Norway. Montgomery says his wife is recovering, but rushing her back to competition would be the wrong decision. So a couple who is often travelling around the world has spent a lot of time at home recently. "Newly-married couple hanging out together quite a bit, I think were getting an insight into what retirement might be like," Montgomery joked. "Were surviving and thriving, so this is a great prospect." Wholesale Jerseys Paypal . -- Ill Have Another looked like just another horse at the Kentucky Derby. Wholesale Jerseys Cheap . Rafael Nadal wont be ready to return from injury. David Ferrer is skipping the tie after a long run at the Australian Open. http://pavansukhdev.org/wholesalejerseys.html . -- The Minnesota Vikings have activated running back Adrian Peterson from the physically unable to perform list Sunday, with coach Leslie Frazier saying Peterson had done everything in his rehab that could be done working by himself. MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Collin Klein threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores and No. 7 Kansas State beat No. 23 Texas 42-24 on Saturday night for its third conference title in 117 years and a trip to the Fiesta Bowl. The Wildcats had never played for a conference championship in their last game at home, and had never had a player end the regular season in such close contention for the Heisman Trophy as Klein. Neither of his main competitors, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel nor Notre Dame linebacker Manti Teo, played this weekend. So Klein, a multitalented senior, had the stage all to himself, one last chance to burnish his credentials for what would be Kansas States first Heisman. In front of their sixth sellout in seven home games, the Wildcats (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) tied their team record for victories in a season and matched Oklahomas Big 12 record. Kansas State has beaten Texas (8-4, 5-4) five in a row. The Sooners beat TCU earlier Saturday and immediately donned caps and T-shirts declaring themselves Big 12 champs. But Kansas States 24-19 win at Oklahoma on Sept. 22 gives them the tiebreaker and sends them into the Fiesta Bowl. After a slow start, Klein wound up hitting 8 of 14 passes for 184 yards and added 108 yards rushing on 23 carries. John Hubert scored three touchdowns. Texas, which may be headed for the Cotton Bowl, led 10-7 at halftime. But with Klein hitting a 29-yard pass and Hubert breaking free for 28 yards, Kansas State soared 75 yards in seven plays, with Hubert scoring from the 2. Hubert also had a 2-yard TD run with 47 seconds left in the third quarter and scored on a 1-yard run for a 35-17 lead with a little more than 3 minutes to go after Drew Liddle recovered Texas muffed punt. A few minutes later, Allen Chapman intercepted Case McCoys paass and ran it back 35 yards, setting up Kleins 9-yard TD run for a 42-17 lead with 1:53 left.dddddddddddd McCoy threw a 14-yard TD pass to Jaxon Shipley in the second quarter and a 9-yard scoring pass to Malcom Brown less than 1 minute left in the game. Brown also scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter. McCoy hit 26-of-34 passes for 314 yards, with two interceptions. He was sacked four times by a swarming Kansas State defence. The Wildcats lone touchdown of the first half came on a 1-yard run by Klein and after an embarrassing lapse by defensive back Nigel Malone. With perfect timing, Malone jumped in front of McCoys intended receiver on Texas second possession, made the interception and sped 30 yards into the end zone. But the ball only travelled the 29. The play was initially ruled a touchdown, but upon review, it was determined Malone had let go of the ball and allowed it drop to the ground just as he was about to step across the goal line. So it was placed on the 1 and Klein plowed into the end zone for his 21st rushing TD of the season and No. 54 for his career. Klein was 0 for 4 in Kansas States scoreless second quarter while McCoy was going 17 for 20 in the first half for 204 yards. McCoys longest pass play went for 70 yards, but almost all of that was the running of Daje Johnson right after Adrian Phillips intercepted Kleins pass in the end zone and gave the Longhorns the ball on the 20. Klein had led an impressive drive from the Kansas State 1 to the Texas 17, converting three third-down plays. But on the first play after Phillips pick, Johnson caught McCoys swing pass and sprinted 70 yards before stepping out on the 10. Kansas States defence pushed the Longhorns back 10 yards in three plays and Nick Jordan kicked a 37-yard field goal. ' ' ' 

Canadian rugby international Phil Mackenzie is in good company at London Welsh these days, rubbing shoulders with players from England, France, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga and, of course, Wales. And the 25-year-old wing/centre from Oakville, Ont., is fitting in nicely in the top level of English rugby, having scored two tries already for the newly promoted club. The latest came last Sunday in a 29-19 loss to London Irish. The Canadian also scored in a 28-23 loss to Saracens on Oct. 7. London Welsh (2-5-0) currently stand 10th in the 12-team Aviva Premiership. There have been drubbings at the hands of champion Harlequins (40-3) and perennial powerhouse Leicester (38-13) but otherwise the Exiles have kept things closer in the league. "Ive loved every minute of it, to be honest," Mackenzie told The Canadian Press. "Its a great atmosphere here and the chance to play at the highest level week in and week out is what Ive always wanted. Im a very happy camper." The six-foot-one, 213-pound MacKenzie worked his way up the English rugby ranks, playing first for Coventry and then Esher in the second-tier Championship. He scored 12 tries for Esher last season when he was named the teams player of the year by both his teammates and club supporters. "The Championships a really good standard of rugby but I knew that the finer things mattered a lot more in the Premiership, as in the little details of the game. And those are the things that youve really got to focus on. "Thats been really good. I think Ive been improving week in and week out with the coaching stuff weve got here. And the chance to play against some of the best players in the world every week is ideal." "Seems like every weekend youre up against a world-beater," said Mackenzie. Fellow Canadian Jebb Sinclair is also in the Premiership although he has been in South Africa most recently after London Irish loaned the forward to the Stormers and then Western Province. "I actually hung out with Jebb a lot last year because he was just down the road from me," said Mackenzie. "So I understood what he was kind of up to and how things were going for him at Irish." Cracking a Premiership team isnt easy for foreigners. Teams are restricted to two imports on the pitch at any one time. Players from European Union countries dont count as foreigners. Neither do South Africans, thanks to a deal between the two countries rugby unions. Players with EU spouses also avoid the import restrictions. Mackenzie plays his games at Kassam Stadium in Oxford, home of the Oxford United soccer team. His club trains at its longtime home of Old Deer Park in Richmond in suburban London. With London Welsh, Mackenzie has got the chance to line up with mercurial Welsh international Gavin Henson who has made headlines on and off the rugby field. At 30, the former International Rugby Boards Young Player of the Year is on his seventh club team. Away from rugby, Henson was engaged to singer Charlotte Church and made appearances on several reality TV shows, from dancing to dating. "On the pitch I think you always knew he was capable of almost anything. He put in a great pass against Sarries (Saracens) for us to score a really good try a couple of weeks ago that not many players would have been able to do," said Mackenzie. "Hes one of the hardest-working guys here. Theres only positive things to say about him." On the international level, Mackenzie made his debut for Canada in 2008 against Portugal and has won 13 caps, including four at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. He scored twice for Canada at the tournament, standing out also for his orange boots and dyed blond hair. These days Mackenzie is sporting lime green boots. "You always need bright boots as a winger," he said cheerfully. "Youve got to, its a prerequisite. "And then I actually cut my hair recently. I finally got the blond out of it so I just have a high and tight haircut right now with no colour, which is a little boring but well see what happens in the future." Mackenzie is part of the Canadian team slated to play against Samoa, Russia and the New Zealand Maori in November in England. His younger brother Jamie was also a member of Canadas World Cup team, one of 13 sets of brothers who competed at the tournament. Jamie, 23, is currently playing club rugby in Victoria and focusing on finishing his university degree. London Welsh hosts Bath (4-3-0) on Sunday. Wholesale Jerseys . -- The Minnesota Vikings have activated running back Adrian Peterson from the physically unable to perform list Sunday, with coach Leslie Frazier saying Peterson had done everything in his rehab that could be done working by himself. Wholesale NBA Jerseys . The 6-foot-1 Machado played well on the Rockets summer league team, averaging 8.0 points, a team-high 5.6 assists and 2. http://elevatedcolor.com/hot.html . Haas, ranked 290th in the world and playing on a wild card after coming back from injury, will now play either Kevin Anderson or Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the Grey Cup in Toronto, the Canadian national womens soccer team, Alex Anthopoulos and the Toronto Blue Jays and the drama of the NHL lockout.  Bruce Arthur, National Post: My thumb is up to the Grey Cup and not the game itself. The game itself was a bit of a turkey, but there was a real question as to whether Toronto could include Canada and have a Canadian Grey Cup in the biggest city. This has never been a CFL city. What happened this year was Toronto was a very worthy Grey Cup city and it brought the country together. Cathal Kelly, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to the Canadian national womens soccer team. I think the truly remarkable thing about that team was the bronze medal was great, but what made that special was a loss. It was a loss to the United States, that was the where were you moment of Canadian sport this year and I think that says something nice about us. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Alex Anthopoulos to remaking the Toronto Blue Jays. From the edge of irrelevance, they are now the favourite to win thhe World Series.dddddddddddd The big deal with the Marlines for Reyes and Johnson and Buehrle and then getting R.A. Dickey – what a marvelous coup. Dave Hodge, TSN: Theres little doubt the dreaded NHL lockout has been Canadas no. 1 sports story, and I will happily say "thumbs up" to the latest developments if they represent the beginning of the end of said lockout. Otherwise, I can find only one other reason to say anything good about the lockout, and that was the Broadway-style entertainment it provided, in New York, on the Thursday night of Dec. 6th. That was the time the lockout was ending one minute until a voice-mail message that suggested the season might be ending the next minute.  During an intermission fit for the Gershwin theatre, the audience awaited Bill Dalys delivery of the classic line about the "hill that the league would die on." Earlier, Don Fehr had been calm and his part was brief -- Gary Bettman took to the stage and raged like Lewis Black. For a couple of hours, lockout coverage was riveting. But that was it, and hopefully, well never see it again. Let them revive something else on Broadway next time. ' ' ' 

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays exercised the US$3-million club option on left-hander Darren Olivers contract Wednesday and signed outfielder Rajai Davis to a $2.5-million, one-year deal. Oliver, 42, was one of Torontos strongest relievers last season. He posted a 3-4 record with two saves and a 2.06 earned-run average in 62 games. Should he decide to return in 2013, he will enter his 20th season in the major leagues. In 716 career games, he has a record of 60-54 with seven saves and 4.53 ERA. The Blue Jays signed Davis after declining the team option on his previous deal. Davis, 32, hit .257 this past season with eight home runs, 43 RBIs and 46 stolen bases. Toronto also claimed left-handed pitcher Scott Maine off waivers from the Cleveland Indians. He was 2-3 with a 6.07 ERA in 30 games for the Indians and Chicago Cubs in 2012. Also Wednesday, the Blue Jays re-instated several pitchers from the 60-day disabled list. They included right-handers Kyle Drabek, Drew Hutchison, Dustin McGowan and Sergio Santos along with left-handers J.A. Happ and Luis Perez. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Scott Cousins and right-hander David Herndon were designated for assignment. Kaepernick Jersey .J. -- Ahmad Bradshaw got furious at himself, and took it out on the Cleveland Browns. Authentic Colin Kaepernick Jersey .Y. -- A common phrase this year -- "Tigers back" -- took on a new meaning Friday at The Barclays. http://elevatedcolor.com/new.html . And with the NHL now in a lockout, its unlikely hell be getting contract offers any time soon. "(The long wait) is something that can be frustrating, because the unrestricted free agent market is a lot smaller this summer because of the lockout," said McArdle, a 25-year-old Toronto native who grew up in Burnaby, B.LONDON -- Organizers say highest-ranked U.S. tennis player Mardy Fish is set to play at the Queens Club tournament next month as a grass-court warmup for Wimbledon and the London Olympics. The No. 9-ranked Fish pulled out of the U.S. Davis Cup teams quarterfinal against France in early April due to a health scare. Britains Andy Murray is set to defend the Queens Club titlee a week before playing at Wimbledon.dddddddddddd The Olympic tennis tournament will also be held at the All England Club. Murray will not have to face second-ranked Rafael Nadal at Queens this year after the Spaniard pulled out of the tournament, citing stringent British tax laws that could cause the player to lose money by playing the weeklong tournament. ' ' '