wxy1123's blog: "lele"

More than 90 per cent of Ontario Hockey League players fight fewer than 10 times per season. Andre Roberts Jersey . That said, the sanctions adopted by the OHL that include suspensions and fines for the serial scrapper are clearly targeting the one-dimensional player. But some might be surprised to learn that 31 OHL players recorded 10 or more fighting majors last season, compared to the 23 National Hockey League players who also dropped the gloves no fewer than 10 times. Fighting has been on the NHLs radar for many years and over time, there have been countless discussions on its merit - or if the league needs to do more to police it. Now the number of fights per season in the NHL is declining, so theres less of an outcry for banning what some believe is an important part of the game. However, the NHL - as well as the Western Hockey League and QMJHL - will pay close attention to the latest OHL changes and may adopt their own initiatives in the near future. Fighting in the NHL seems to be less contentious than diving or other dishonourable acts designed to draw penalties. And when the NHL lockout ends, players who have a tendency to embellish may be in for a surprise. Players, coaches, managers and officials who participated in league meetings in August agreed embellishment has once again become an issue. Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler has been identified as an offender. While Kesler plays the game hard, he has been known to exaggerate contact to gain an advantage. Chicagos Dan Carcillo has been caught on video on more than one occasion during his career trying to sell a penalty. Among his more noteworthy attempts was in a 2010 playoff game with the Philadelphia Flyers against the New Jersey Devils, where Carcillo pretended to have been struck in the face with a stick. Superstars such as Pittsburghs Evgeni Malkin have also drawn criticism for attempting to mislead referees, as he did in the playoffs last spring resulting in a penalty against Philadelphias Matt Carle. Everything from posting pictures of each culprit in every NHL dressing room to re-instituting a fine system, or simply tacking on an additional two-minute penalty to offset the original call is being discussed by hockey operations and will at some point be presented to all NHL general managers for further discussion. Larry Fitzgerald Jersey . surrendered in a courtroom Friday to begin a three-month jail sentence for attacking his ex-girlfriend in September 2010 while two of their children watched. Michael Floyd Jersey . Davidson will undergo immediate treatment at The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center on the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center campus in downtown Oklahoma City. http://www.arizonacardinalsfansprostore.com/kerry-rhodes-jerseys . According to ESPN.com, the Blue Jays have discussed signing one of the free agent relievers available, including Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell or Joe Nathan. Pat Tillman Jersey .J. -- Tim Tebow was surrounded by dozens of cameras and reporters -- a backup quarterback with unmatched star power. Patrick Peterson White Jersey . The Russians put on a clinical attacking display Friday, scoring two goals in each half in a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in Group A. Post-victory, Advocaats only regret was that the score wasnt higher.In a move that would have meant more a few years ago, the New York Yankees brought in a star outfielder with Hall of Fame credentials. Numbers Game looks at the Yankees acquisition of Ichiro. The Yankees Get: RF Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro, 38, is another marquee name for the games most storied franchise, but hes not the same Ichiro that terrorized major league pitching from the moment he arrived in the major leagues in 2001. Since the beginning of 2011, Ichiro has an OPS of .644 and there are only three regular outfielders with an OPS lower than this years .642 mark. Nearly across the board, Ichiro is putting up career-low numbers -- a .261 batting average, .288 on-base percentage and a .279 batting average on balls in play. That BABIP might be an indication of bad luck -- his line drive rate (25.6% per www.fangraphs.com) is a career-high -- and his percentage of infield hits (7.4%, also Fan Graphs) but could also suggest that his speed may not be what it was during his peak. Also, according to Fan Graphs, Ichiros bat speed could be an issue as the past two seasons have brought about a dramatic decline in his production against ol number one. Another issue facing Ichiro is that hes more aggressive at the plate. His 3.45 pitches per plate appearance is a career-low and the last two seasons have shown an increase in contact on pitches outside the strike zone (www.fangraphs.com), which infers that the quality of Ichiros contact isnt what it has been in previous seasons. Ichiros bat may be in decline, but there doesnt appear to be any dip in his defence, as advanced fielding metrics (Ultimate Zone Rating, Defensive Runs Saved) still show him among the best in baseball. Going to the Yankees, there wont be pressure on Ichiro to lead the offence, since the Yankees have proven bats that will allow Ichiro to move in to a supporting role. While Ichiro is in the final year of a contract that pays him $17-million this season, the Yankees will pay $2.25-milllion over the rest of the season, a relative pittance in the hope that a future Hall of Famer could rebound enough to be a productive part of a playoff team. Sam Acho Jersey. With speedy left fielder Brett Gardner deemed to be out for the season once he undergoes elbow surgery, Ichiro does provide some of the speed and defence that Gardner typically provided to the Yankees. The Mariners Get: RHP D.J. Mitchell and RHP D.J. Farquhar. Mitchell is a 25-year-old righthander who struggled through 4 2/3 innings with the Yankees this season. Mitchell has 94 career minor league appearances, including 87 starts, posting a 3.56 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. Without overpowering stuff, Mitchell isnt likely to see anything more than spot duty in the Mariners bullpen, if he winds up in the major leagues at all. Farquhar is a similarly dubious prospect, who pitched a couple of innings for the Blue Jays last season, but the 5-foot-9 25-year-old has been strictly a bullpen pitcher throughout his minor league career, with 208 appearances and no starts. The Mariners will be his fourth organization this season, after stops with the Blue Jays, As and Yankees, so its difficult to imagine that he has real major league value. With Ichiro gone, there will be outfield opportunities in Seattle. Casper Wells and Michael Saunders should hold down a couple of spots and Franklin Gutierrez (out with a concussion) can man centre field when healthy, but Mike Carp and Carlos Peguero are a couple of power-hitting options that might see more action too. Its the end of an era for the Mariners, dealing their superstar to the Yankees. Even if his game has declined, this move -- and the negligible return -- is symbolic that it was time for the Mariners and Ichiro to move on. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' ' 

LONDON -- Portuguese club Braga advanced to the lucrative group stage of the Champions League on Tuesday by beating Serie A team Udinese in a penalty shootout. Alshon Jeffery Jersey . Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Portugal, the teams drew 1-1 again after Pablo Armeros 25th-minute header for the hosts was cancelled out by Ruben Micaels 72nd-minute equalizer. Micael also scored the decisive spot kick to give Braga a 5-4 shootout victory. Elsewhere, Anderlecht scored two late goals to win 2-0 against AEL Limassol and go through 3-2 on aggregate. Dinamo Zagreb won 1-0 in Maribor to seal a 3-1 series victory. BATE Borisov drew 1-1 at Hapoel Kiryat Shmona to advance 3-1, and Malaga drew 0-0 at Panathinaikos to progress 2-0 on aggregate. Major Wright Jersey . Magloire, 34, appeared in 34 games for the Raptors last season. He averaged 1.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 11 minutes a game. Jay Cutler Womens Jersey . Numbers Game looks at the trade for Kyle Lowry. The Raptors Get: PG Kyle Lowry. Lowry, 26, has been steadily improving and, in the past couple seasons, has emerged as a quality starting point guard. http://www.fanstorebears.com/julius-peppers-jerseys . The Croats took advantage of a frail Ireland defence to win their opening match at the European Championship, getting two goals from Mario Mandzukic in a 3-1 victory Sunday night at rainy Municipal Stadium. Brian Urlacher Youth Jersey . Brown tied an NHL record Friday with two short-handed goals in one playoff game as the Kings beat the Canucks 4-2 in the second game of their Western Conference quarter-final series Friday night. Julius Peppers Jersey . When it did, the Tigers celebrated perhaps the most spectacular comeback of the 2012 baseball season. Cabrera hit a two-run homer to cap a stunning five-run rally by Detroit with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving the Tigers a 10-8 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.SYLVANIA, Ohio - For the lead groups, the final round of the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic will be just like a friendly round back home in South Korea. Oh, and give the winner a check for $195,000. South Koreans Jiyai Shin, Kim, So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo dominated the leaderboard, sharing the top spot at 11-under 202 on Saturday through the third round. Two more South Koreans, Inbee Park (69) and second-round leader Chella Choi (70), were a shot back along with Japans Mika Miyazato (69). Call them the Seoul sisters. "It will be really exciting Sunday," said Kim, who will be chasing her fourth career LPGA Tour victory. "These are players that I grew up with. I know them personally and I know their family issues and all that. So, even though were playing in the U.S., having them around I feel much more at home." South Koreans have not only flooded (43 of them on the roster this year) but also dominated the LPGA Tour in recent years. Still, they have seldom taken over a tournament like the one at Highland Meadows. In addition to filling the top four spots and six of the top seven, South Korea was represented by players occupying seven of the top 11 positions and 11 of the top 25 through 54 holes. Even though they are extremely competitive, dont expect any gamesmanship. "There are a lot of Korean players on tour," said Shin, who has won eight times in LPGA events since 2008, including victories in the 2010 U.S. Womens Open and the 2008 Womens British Open. "We are very close because we came over to play in the U.S. We were homesick, missing our friends and family in Korea. And that has made us close to each other." Shin and Kim each shot 5-under 66 for the low rounds of the day, while Ryu had a 67 and Seo a 68. The range in scores of the four leaders is a high of 69 to a low of 66. In other words, almost the perfect definition of consistency. Ryu acknowledged that, then added, "Sometimes someone is crazy and has a low score — like a 61 or 62." Its not really surprising that the Souuth Korean contingent is elbowing everyone else out of the picture at the Jamie Farr. Jay Cutler Jersey. After all, the player who is the matriarch of her countrys players on the LPGA Tour — Se Ri Pak — has won the Farr five times. And three other players from South Korea — Mi Hyun Kim, Eunjung Yi and Na Yeon Choi — also have finished first in suburban Toledo. In fact, since Pak won her first Farr in 1998, South Koreans have walked off with the title eight of the 13 years. Shin was perhaps the brightest star on the LPGA landscape but has not won in two years due to injuries. "Its as if Im on my way," she said after her 66. "I have a little bit of pressure on myself." Kim, who has three career LPGA Tour wins, lost to Choi in a four-person playoff at the Farr the last time it was played in 2010 (the tournament was on hiatus a year ago while the city hosted the mens U.S. Senior Open). "Im in a great place, not only on the golf course," she said. "Im happy on and off the course. Thats really important." Seo was the tours rookie of the year in 2011. She took a stab at making a humorous remark at the awards ceremony. "Everybody wants to be No. 1," she said. "I just mentioned that Ill be No. 1 very soon." Tied for eighth at 8-under 205 were Americans Jacqui Concolino (69) and Angela Stanford (69), along with first-round leader Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden (70) and yet another South Korean, Hee-Won Han (70). Needless to say, all eyes will be on the intrasquad scrimmage atop the leaderboard between the longtime friends, neighbours and countrywomen. "We pretty much help each other," said Ryu, who defeated Seo in a three-hole playoff at the 2011 U.S. Womens Open to earn her first and only tour victory. "If some Koreans have a winning chance, everybody will be waiting on the 18th green and everybody will congratulate the winner. Our relationship is pretty great." ___ Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap ' ' ' 

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Alabama coach Nick Saban believes his latest talented and tenacious team took a step toward creating its own identity. Adrian Peterson Womens Jersey . Though it felt a lot like the 2011 Crimson Tide never left on Saturday night at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Dee Milliner and Alabama defence pushed around Michigan and showed they can still dominate, manhandling the eighth-ranked Wolverines and pounding Denard Robinson in a season-opening 41-14 victory Saturday night. Alabama had to replace most of its starters, including three first-round draft picks, from a defence that led the nation in just about everything last year and helped the Tide win its second national title in three seasons. "I think we came out in the first game and established the kind of identity were going to have on this team," Milliner said. "On defence, we were aggressive. On offence, we came out and attacked." C.J. Mosley returned an interception 16 yards for a touchdown for the second-ranked Tide. AJ McCarron, no longer with third overall draft pick Trent Richardson to hand the ball off to, threw two touchdowns as Alabama won its 11th consecutive season opener. "I personally dont think we were trying to send any type of message," McCarron said. "Were just trying to do what coach (Saban) preaches. And thats to go out and play our game. Do what were supposed to do." Milliner, the primary nickelback last season now in a starting role, deflected four passes in the first half, and had an interception after shoving intended receiver Roy Roundtree to the ground and into the Alabama sideline. That set up a touchdown for the Crimson Tide, which shot out to a 31-0 lead. While Michigan still can recover to contend for a Big Ten title and possible Rose Bowl bid, this could be a confidence-shaking performance. It certainly wasnt what Michigan expected coming off an 11-win season under first-year coach Brady Hoke that ended with the Wolverines first BCS victory since the 1999 season. "Obviously, we didnt play Michigan football, and thats something that bothers our team, bothers the coaches," Hoke said. "Win or lose your first game, you learn a lot." They were without suspended running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and defensive end Frank Clark, but even with them probably werent ready for the toughest of tests. Unfortunately for Hoke and the Wolverines, this is Alabama -- still at its very best. Even Saban was applauding the performance as the final seconds ticked off the clock. "This team had a challenge of trying to create an identity for itself," Saban said. "That happens over time and happens with consistency in performance. Its a big win over a very good team." McCarron was 11-of-21 passing for 199 yards. Freshman T.J. Yeldon ran for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Eddie Lacy had a 9-yard TD run. It was a tough night for Robinson, even though he accounted for both Michigan touchdowns. Most of his 200 yards passing (he was 11 of 26) came on two plays -- a 71-yard pass right before halftime that came before his 6-yard TD run and his 44-yard scoring pass to Devin Gardner in the third quarter. "I didnt make the throws that I should have made today and I feel that I didnt play as the Michigan quarterback today," Robinson said. "Ive got to step it up and be more accountable." Robinson, held to 27 yards rushing on 10 carries, showed his toughness when he didnt miss a snap immediately after being hurt on a fourth-down run in the third quarter. The Heisman hopeful got hurt when he stretched and landed awkwardly trying to lunge for a first down on fourth-and-3. He appeared to reach for his lower back while on the ground, where he remained for several minutes before being helped up and then walking gingerly off the field. Officials first marked Robinsons run as first down. But while Robinson was being tended to, the play was reviewed and it was determined that his elbow came down short of the first down. But he was back in the Michigan huddle after Cade Foster kicked a 51-yard field goal. After Alabama went three-and-out on the opening drive of the game, and its defence quickly set the tone with Milliner knocking down two passes on Michigans first possession, the Crimson Tide got rolling. McCarron faked a handoff to perfection, after Lacy and Yeldon had carried the ball down the field, and tossed a 2-yard TD pass to Michael Williams for a 7-0 lead. Robinson overthrew two receivers before another Michigan punt, and McCarron hit DeAndrew White in stride streaking down the sideline for a 51-yard score. Cornerback Courtney Avery, in after starter Blake Countless sustained an early knee injury, slipped down on the play. Then came Milliners big shove that he got away with for a big play. With Roundtree on the ground and the ball in the air, Milliner caught the ball near midfield and returned it to the Michigan 17. Robinson helped make a touchdown-saving tackle, and appeared to grab his right shoulder then. "I got a good jam," Milliner explained. "When I looked up, the ball was coming and I made a play on it." Lacy, limited coming off an ankle sprain, broke two tackles on a hard-charging score that made it 21-0, still in the first quarter. When Jeremy Shelleys 22-yard field goal made it 24-0 with 10 minutes left in the first half, the Crimson Tide had 233 total yards -- 199 more than Michigan. It was 31-0 after Robinson inexplicably threw a pass right into Mosleys chest. Alabama finished with 431 total yards, and Michigan had 269. The crowd of 90,413 was the largest ever to see a college game at Cowboys Stadium, where the crowd was distinctly split by fans in crimson and those in maize. At the end, the Alabama fans were chanting "S-E-C!, S-E-C!" and "Roll Tide!" "Its a deflating loss, it should sting," Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs said. "But at the end of the day, you cant let Alabama beat you twice." Everson Griffen Jersey . 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic and five-time winner Rafael Nadal were a pair of third-round victors Thursday at the $3. Chris Doleman Jersey . For a change, April suited CC Sabathia. The notoriously slow starter shook off early trouble to get his first win of the season and backup catcher Chris Stewart had a career-high three RBIs that included a go-ahead, two-run single in New Yorks 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. http://www.shoptheminnesotavikingsjerseys.com/jared-allen-jerseys . So the 33-year-old midfielder signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday, the latest move in the clubs effort to improve following a last-place showing in its first Major League Soccer season. Michael Jenkins Jersey . Cutler and Marshall looked sharp from the start, and the Chicago Bears beat Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins 33-31 in a preseason game on Saturday night. Cris Carter Jersey . Martin Gernat scored twice as the Oil Kings defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-1 on Friday in Western Hockey League playoff action.NEW YORK -- Ryan Brauns lawyer criticized the lengthy statement from the person who collected the sluggers drug sample, saying Thursday the NL MVP "was properly vindicated." "Ryan Braun presented a winning defence in the forum that counted," attorney David Cornwell said in a statement. "The landmark decision in Ryans favour was based on the evidence and the plain meaning of the words in baseballs joint drug program. The collectors attempt to re-litigate his conduct is inappropriate, and his efforts will only be persuasive to those who do not understand the evidence or the rules. "Ryan Braun was properly vindicated. Both Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association should be applauded because their joint program worked." Braun escaped a 50-game suspension last week when his positive test was overturned by arbitrator Shyam Das. The legal team for the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder argued in a grievance hearing that the drug collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., did not follow the procedures specified in baseballs drug agreement, which states the urine sample should bee taken to a Federal Express office on the day it is collected "absent unusual circumstances. Jared Allen Youth Jersey. " Laurenzi issued a statement Tuesday defending his actions, saying he never tampered with the urine sample. Laurenzi collected the sample on Oct. 1, a Saturday, and said he placed it in a Rubbermaid container in his basement office because "there was no FedEx office located within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship packages that day or Sunday." Laurenzi took it to Federal Express on Monday. "At no point did I tamper in any way with the samples. It is my understanding that the samples were received at the laboratory with all tamper-resistant seals intact," Laurenzi said in his statement. Rob Manfred, MLBs executive vice-president for labour relations, said last week the league "vehemently disagrees with the decision" and called the collector "extremely experienced," adding he "acted in a professional and appropriate manner." Manfred declined comment on Cornwells statement as did Boyd Johnson III of WilmerHale, the lawyer retained by Laurenzi. ' ' ' 

VANCOUVER -- Cory Schneider might not get many starts for the Vancouver Canucks, but hes showing he can shine in big games. Victor Cruz Womens Jersey . Roberto Luongos backup made 37 saves against playoff rival Chicago Blackhawks in Vancovers tense 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday. It was Schneiders third start of the month, all wins. He stopped 39 pucks Jan. 7 in a 4-3 win over Stanley Cup nemesis Boston. "Quality over quantity, right?" Schneider said after posting his 11th win of the season and fourth in a row against only five losses. "Its exciting to get these opportunities. I dont get them a whole lot because of the way Roberto plays and hes big in big games." Schneiders stock is rising. He will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and is constantly mentioned when fans talk about potential trades. "For me, its an opportunity and I cant let them slip by," Schneider said of getting starts in big games. "I cant afford to have a bad game. In the first period it was a little ... getting my timing back (after the all-star break)." Daniel Sedins 22nd goal of the season at 3:37 of the extra period won it for the Canucks, who also got goals from Ryan Kesler and rookie Cody Hodgson. Jamal Mayers and Viktor Stalberg replied for Chicago, which took Vancouver to overtime in Game 7 of the first round of last springs playoffs. The Canucks won their third straight game to improve to 31-15-4 and move a point ahead of Chicago with a game in hand in the competitive West. The Blackhawks lost their third in a row to slip to 29-15-7. Chicago won the conference title in 2009-10 while the Canucks were the champions last season, Schneider made many key saves to preserve a 1-1 tie when Vancouver was outshot 18-6 in the middle period. "He made some unbelievable stops," said Vancouver defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "They had a lot of odd-man rushes and he made a lot of side-to-side stops (which) are not easy to do. Hes in position all the time." Schneider denied Stalberg several times including once in the third period when the Chicago forward broke in alone on a pass from Patrick Kane then robbed Andrew Shaw on the rebound. The Canuck netminder brought the crowd to its feet with 4:23 remaining in the second period when he foiled Brendan Morrison after misplaying the puck behind his own net. The Canuck goalie was prone on the ice but somehow got an arm on Morrisons shot when the Hawk newcomer fired at a nearly wide open net. "I botched it behind the net," said Schneider, who had help from defenceman Alex Edler as he scrambled back to his crease where he flopped as Morrison shot. "I just remember reaching as far as I could and the puck hit me. I was more upset with myself than happy about the save." Daniel Sedin scored the winner on a bang-bang play after taking pass from brother Henrik behind Chicago goalie Corey Crawford. "We were able to hold on to the puck for a while and Danny gave it to me behind the net," said Henrik, who won the offensive zone faceoff. "He knows where to go so it wasnt a tough pass to make." Crawford finished with 30 saves including a spectacular glove stop off Henrik Sedin in overtime. "I just tried to get over as quick as I could and take up as much net as I could," Crawford said. The Hawks got an offensive boost when Jonathan Towes and Patrick Sharp, who have 47 goals between them, came back from injuries. "Its definitely frustrating," Crawford said. "We keep getting these bad bounces against us. We controlled the second period. A tough game, two good teams." Keslers goal went in of the shaft of a defenders stick while Hodgson scored on a breakaway after a neutral zone turnover by Stalberg. Mayers scored in the first period with the Canucks scrambling in their own end while Stalberg bounced a shot in off Edler for a 2-1 lead early in the third period. The Hawks felt they should have been given at least a power play in overtime when Canuck defenceman Dan Hamhuis hacked at Stalberg in a scoring position. "He slashed my hands and I couldnt make the move I wanted," Stalberg said. "I think it was pretty clear it fit the definition of a penalty shot." Toews said it was a frustrating game where the Hawks, who had the only two power plays, paid for their mistakes. "We had chances to distance ourselves on the power play and five-on-five, a ton of odd-man rushes in the second period. Give their goaltender credit, he played well." Notes: Sharp (hand) was out eight games while Toews (arm) returned after missing one start ... Morrison made his Chicago debut after being dealt Friday by the Calgary Flames ... he was a Canuck from 2000 to 2008 ... Chicago is the Pitt Meadows, B.C. natives seventh NHL team ... the Hawks have eight games remaining on their season-long road trip which ends Feb. 16 against the Rangers. Victor Cruz Youth Jersey . The win snapped a five-game winless streak for Belleville while the Battalion lost for the first time in regulation in 12 games. "I have to give a lot of credit to the guys in front of me," said Graham. David Baas Womens Jersey . The 18-year-old from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, recorded 31 goals and 69 points in 42 games for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Sting during an injury-shortened 2011-12 season. http://www.officialnewyorkgiantsgear.com/lawrence-tynes-jerseys . Rainbow throws from quarterbacks on opposite ends of their careers may have done the trick. The 37-year-old Batch completed 11 of 14 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown to bolster his hopes of playing a 15th season and the Pittsburgh Steelers held off a late rally by Clausen and the Carolina Panthers for a 17-16 preseason victory on Thursday night. Hakeem Nicks Jersey . The 32-year-old Blake succumbed to fellow former top-five star Nikolay Davydenko, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in two hours on the hardcourts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park. The 2008 Miami champion Davydenko will meet world No. Lawrence Tynes Womens Jersey . But a six-run third inning off Randy Wolf proved to be plenty Friday night, and the Pirates pounded the Brewers 8-2. "I think it has a lot to do with how the games have gone here in the past," Correia said. "A five-run lead doesnt feel like much here.The Buffalo Sabres embraced a new owner with deep pockets last summer and spent big on free agency, only to stumble early and miss the playoffs. Off-Season Game Plan looks at a Sabres team that has the talent to be a playoff contender. Will they be willing to chalk up their disappointment in 2011-2012 to bad luck or bad seasons and re-set with much the same group next season? The Sabres did go 19-5-5 on a stretch from late January to late March, which got them back into the playoff discussion, but the early hole they put themselves in was too much to overcome. If there are positives to be gleaned from that second half performance, however, the Sabres may not be looking to overhaul the roster this summer. Maybe an overhaul isnt in the cards, but the Sabres could stand to improve in a few areas, most notably at centre. Derek Roy is ostensibly the teams top centre, but hes heading into the final year of his contract and has been rumoured to be on the block for some time and Buffalo dealt checking pivot Paul Gaustad to Nashville at the deadline. Upgrading the number one centre spot wont be easy, but its a reasonable objective going into the offseason since the Sabres have a significant number of assets (including prospects and picks) to make a deal. The lesson that probably needs to be taken away from last summer is that, just because they have Terry Pegulas financial wherewithal behind them, doesnt mean that the Sabres have to spend the money if the right assets arent available. Not to pick on anyone in particular, but the opportunity cost of signing Ville Leino for six years isnt only what it means if Leino doesnt perform, but its that Leino occupies a spot on the roster that might be used on a future acquisition. With that takeaway, the Sabres may be more selective in their approach this summer and they should be. This roster, with some tweaking, is certainly capable of making the playoffs and if their goaltender is on top of his game, who knows how far they could go? The TSN.ca Rating is an efficiency rating based on per-game statistics including goals and assists -- weighted for strength (ie. power play, even, shorthanded) -- plus-minus, hits, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways, penalty differential and faceoffs. (Stats are listed in this format: G-A-PTS, , PIM, GP). Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be 70-plus and the biggest stars will be over 80. Evgeni Malkin finished at the top of the regular season ratings with a 93.12. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. GM/COACH Darcy Regier/Lindy Ruff Returning Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS Cap Hit Jason Pominville 75.82 82 30 43 73 -7 $5.3M Thomas Vanek 71.33 78 26 35 61 -6 $7.143M Drew Stafford 70.27 80 20 30 50 +5 $4.0M Derek Roy 67.17 80 17 27 44 -7 $4.0M Cody Hodgson 65.02 83 19 22 41 +1 $1.667M Nathan Gerbe 62.88 62 6 19 25 +2 $1.433M Luke Adam 62.25 52 10 10 20 -6 $875K Ville Leino 60.18 71 8 17 25 -2 $4.5M Corey Tropp 57.90 34 3 5 8 0 $700K Matt Ellis 55.59 60 3 5 8 -3 $525K Cody McCormick 52.64 50 1 3 4 -7 $1.2M Free Agent Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS Class 11-12 Cap Hit Tyler Ennis 71.38 48 15 19 34 +11 RFA $875K Jochen Hecht 62.57 22 4 4 8 +1 UFA $3.525M Brad Boyes 60.32 65 8 15 23 +2 UFA $4.0M Patrick Kaleta 56.86 63 5 5 10 -5 RFA $907.5K Captain Jason Pominville has played all 82 games in five of the last six seasons and last years 30 goals and 73 points were the second-best totals of his career and hes a force on special teams, topping 20 power play points for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Thomas Vanek was sizzling in the first half of the season, scoring 39 points in his first 37 games, but he dropped off badly in the second half, scoring 23 points in 41 games playing through injuries. Even after finishing on that down note, Vanek stands out as a high-end finisher and his 230 goals since the start of the 2005-2006 season ranks eighth in the league in that time. Stumbling through a forgettable season, Drew Stafford got his game on track when aligned with Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno late in the year and, after scoring 28 points in 58 games, he finished the year with a point-per-game in the last 22. 26-year-old Stafford has size and skill to be an offensive threat but consistency has not been a strong suit to this point in his career. Before a torn quad cut short Derek Roys 2010-2011 season, he had tallied 35 points in 35 games, but he was not the same player upon returning to the lineup last season, yet he played nearly as much (19:19 per game, down from 19:32 per game the year before). Going into the final year of his contract, its conceivable that Roy could be trade bait, unless the Sabres are confident that, a year removed from his injury, he can be more effective in a prime scoring role next season. By dealing Zack Kassian to Vancouver for Cody Hodgson, the Sabres sacrificed size and snarl for more offensive upside. Hodgson received more ice time in Buffalo (17:16 per game in Buffalo, 12:44 per game in Vancouver), but was scoreless in his first 10 games with the Sabres. Hodgsons rise as a highly-touted prospect has been a bumpy ride, but hes a 22-year-old who put up 41 points as a rookie, so there should be many more points to come. Nathan Gerbe is a solid enough complementary forward, and reliable enough to be used in the defensive zone, but six goals in 62 games last season wasnt ideal. Something closer to the 16 he scored in 64 games in 2010-2011 would be more in line with what the Sabres need from him. Big centre Luke Adam earned his keep early, scoring 19 points in 27 games through early December, before one point in the next 25 games earned him a ticket to Rochester for the rest of the season. Adam, 21, could use an extra gear, but he has 75 points in 84 AHL games, which is an indication that he should be able to produce points in the NHL if given the opportunity. If Roy goes elsewhere, that could present Adam with the chance he needs to flourish. There may not have been a more ill-advised free agent signing last summer than the Sabres long-term commitment to Ville Leino. Its not as if Leino is without merit as a player. Even in a disappointing 2011-2012 season with the Sabres, Leino still had a positive shot differential (per www.behindthenet.ca). He wont justify his exhorbitant contract, but used in a supporting role on the wing -- not centre -- Leino can be a useful contributor. 22-year-old energy winger Corey Tropp scored 22 points in 27 AHL games and was shuttled back-and-forth between Rochester and Buffalo for much of the season. He could eearn a fourth-line job or return to the AHL for the start of next season. Matt Ellis has never scored more than 13 points in a season, but has found a niche in Buffalo as an extra forward. He works cheaply and can be trusted in a defensive role in the limited minutes that he plays. Tough guy Cody McCormick was rewarded for what amounted to a breakthrough season in 2010-2011, but wasnt the same contributor last season. Hes still under contract for a couple more seasons and has fought 24 times over the last two seasons (according to www.hockeyfights.com), so there is a role for McCormick to play, but hes paid enough that he can provide more than one goal in 50 games. When the Sabres made their too-little-too-late run in a bid for a playoff spot late in the year, their resurgence was keyed by the emergence of Tyler Ennis, who scored 27 points in his last 26 games, while playing centre, which allowed him to thrive as a playmaker. There may not be a player more disliked by opponents than Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta, who played in a career-high 63 games last season, yet was still the Sabres most active hitting forward. Kaleta plays on the edge, sometimes veering over, as he tries to get opponents off their games and thats his calling card, but hes a useful checker too. After trading Paul Gaustad to Nashville at the deadline, the Sabres could use another checking centre. Free agents like Jay McClement, Jim Slater or Colin Fraser might be veteran options that could help for a relatively inexpensive price. If prospects like Adam and Tropp are in the mix for next season, there may not be a lot of openings for the Sabres to add more free agent forwards, but trades may also alter the landscape and team needs. Returning Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS Cap Hit Christian Ehrhoff 71.44 66 5 227 32 -2 $4. Justin Tuck Womens Jersey. 0M Tyler Myers 71.30 55 8 15 23 +5 $5.5M Alexander Sulzer 70.31 27 3 6 9 +8 $725K Jordan Leopold 68.34 79 10 14 24 +4 $3.0M Andrej Sekera 65.02 69 3 10 13 +3 $2.75M Mike Weber 60.25 51 1 4 5 -19 $950K Robyn Regehr 60.14 76 1 4 5 -12 $4.02M Leaving the Vancouver Canucks power play had predictable results for Christian Ehrhoff, as he finished with 11 power play points last season, one year after tallying 28 with the man advantage for the Canucks. With that 17-point PP difference, its worth noting that Ehrhoffs 32 total points last season was 18 points below his 2010-2011 total. With all that said, Ehrhoff is as good as the Sabres have when it comes to offensive defencemen and he has been playing 21-plus minutes per night in each of the last five seasons. Tyler Myers offensive game has declined since his 48-point rookie season and there is some sense that his development has stalled, but a 22-year-old defenceman with 108 points in 217 career games is intriguing, even before noting that he stands 6-foot-8. After spending nearly four seasons bouncing around the fringes of the NHL lineup with Nashville, Florida and Vancouver before arriving in Buffalo late last season, Alexander Sulzer suddenly was a productive regular for the Sabres down the stretch, scoring eight points in 15 games. At this point, no one knows if Sulzer could carry on that production, but the Sabres just re-signed him, so they are willing to pay the relatively modest price to find out. For the third straight season, Jordan Leopold finished with at least 10 goals and hes a serviceable top four defenceman. At the same time, if the Sabres could upgrade on the blueline, Leopold could slide down the depth chart and maybe play a little less than the 22-23 minutes hes logged the last couple seasons. 25-year-old Andrej Sekera has had some decent stretches over the last couple of seasons and has worked his way into the top four, but if hes going to play 20 minutes per game, he should be more productive. Mike Weber adds toughness to the Sabres defence, but the 24-year-old was also a minus-19 in just 51 games last season. Though that looks ugly, Webers shot differential was middle of the pack among Buffalo blueliners, so there may have been some element of bad luck at play for a player who profiles as a sixth or seventh defenceman. After he waived his no-trade clause to come to Buffalo in a trade from Calgary, Robyn Regehr was expected to be a shutdown presence on defence for the Sabres, but that wasnt necessarily the case. He played 18:38 per game, which was his lowest since his rookie year in 1999-2000 and, while Regehr faced the tough matchups, his ice time also decreased as the season went along. Given the players that the Sabres already have under contract, there may not be a lot of big moves to be made on the blueline, unless they are prepared to deal one of their established vets (like Regehr, Sekera or Leopold). Otherwise, prospect Brayden McNabb also appears to be knocking on the door and could be ready for a job with the Sabres next season. Returning Goaltenders Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Cap Hit Ryan Miller 72.60 61 31 21 7 2.54 .916 $6.25M Jhonas Enroth 71.48 26 8 11 4 2.70 .917 $675K In 2009-2010, Ryan Miller was ranked among the top goaltenders in the game, but with a .916 save percentage over the two seasons since, hes lingering around those with the "above-average" label. After getting clocked by Bruins winger Milan Lucic in November, Millers game suffered and his season was nearly a lost cause before his game turned in February (2.08 GAA, .931 SV% after the All-Star break, 3.07 GAA, .899 SV% before). Its simple enough: when Miller is at the top of his game, the Sabres are a playoff team. When hes struggling, they arent. 23-year-old Jhonas Enroth established his credentials as a legitimate NHL goaltender, posting a .917 save percentage as Millers backup. If he can continue to play at that level, the Sabres wont hesitate to give Enroth more action when Miller goes through slumps. Top Prospects Player Pos. Team/League Stats Joel Armia RW Assat-Pori (SML) 18-20-38, +12, 54 GP Marcus Foligno LW Rochester (AHL) 16-23-39, +19, 60 GP Brayden McNabb D Rochester (AHL) 5-25-30, +15, 45 GP Mark Pysyk D Edmonton (WHL) 6-32-38, +15, 57 GP Jerome Gauthier-Leduc D Rimouski (QMJHL) 28-46-74, +13, 62 GP T.J. Brennan D Rochester (AHL) 16-14-30, +5, 52 GP Daniel Catenacci C Owen Sound (OHL) 33-39-72, +11, 67 GP Kevin Sundher C Brandon (WHL) 26-49-75, -15, 58 GP Connor Knapp G Miami-Ohio (CCHA) 15-8, 1.69 GAA, .933 SV%, 24 GP Alex Biega D Rochester (AHL) 5-18-23, +10, 65 GP A winger with size and scoring ability, Joel Armia has been productive in two seasons against men in Finland, so it could be time to bring him to North America, where a year in the AHL would help him get used to the schedule and provide a gauge for how close he might be to NHL readiness. Its almost foolish to pretend that Marcus Foligno is still a prospect, as though his late-season run with the Sabres -- which included a point per game and plus-7 rating in the last 13 games of the season -- wouldnt have him solidly in place for next season, but he did spend most of the year in the AHL, so he can be considered a prospect for these purposes. In any case, Foligno adds a physical dimension to the Sabres forward group and even if he cant maintain that scoring pace, he can be a solid top-nine winger for a long time. Brayden McNabb was pressed into service with the Sabres as a first-year pro, but didnt look out place and there will surely be a future for a big, physical defenceman who can also handle the puck, but Buffalos blueline is currently a crowded place, so McNabb may need to be patient or force the organizations hand to earn a spot in the lineup. A first-round pick in 2010, Mark Pysyk logged four-plus seasons in the WHL, marked by safe and steady play (hes plus-44 over the last two seasons). The 20-year-old will move to the AHL next season and could use time to get stronger. Even though hes not going to be a bruising physical presence, he can use a couple years of development before taking a run at the NHL. If theres one thing that Jerome Gauthier-Leduc knows, its how to contribute offensively, scoring 66 goals over the last three seasons in the QMJHL. Like Pysyk, hell need further seasoning, but the long-range hope will be that he can be a factor on the power play. When injuries hit the Buffalo blueline hard, T.J. Brennan was one of those to get the call from the AHL and he performed admirably, suffered a concussion and returned to play late in the year. Brennans been an offensive factor in his own right, scoring 31 goals in 124 AHL games over the last two seasons. A third-round pick last summer, Daniel Catenacci is a smallish centre who has offensive ability, but his speed and feistiness give him a chance to succeed at the next level. Kevin Sundher was enjoying a terrific season with Victoria of the WHL (64 points in 40 games) before a trade to playoff-bound Brandon, and he just wasnt the same player, producing 14 points in 27 regular season and playoff games for the Pats. Some time in the AHL will determine whether or not hes a legit prospect. 6-foot-5 goaltender Connor Knapp is coming off a strong senior season at Miami-Ohio and hell be joined by Western Hockey League grad Nathan Lieuwen as the next generation of Sabres goaltending prospects. Alex Biega is undersized as pro defencemen go, but the 24-year-old has put in a couple of solid AHL campaigns after four years at Harvard, so hes probably not far from getting a shot; the challenge, of course, being that he has a long list of defence prospects ahead of him on the Sabres depth chart. Signed out of the University of Maine (where he had 156 points in 153 career games), Brian Flynn and Philip Varone, a playmaking pivot who led Rochester with 52 points in the regular season, also add to the Sabres talent pool. DRAFT 12th - Cody Ceci, Brendan Gaunce, Sebastian Collberg 21st - Olli Maatta, Tom Wilson, Nicolas Kerdiles FREE AGENCY According to www.capgeek.com, the Sabres have approximately $57.8M committed to the 2012-2013 salary cap for 18 players. Check out my potential 2012-2013 Sabres roster on Cap Geek here. Needs: First line centre, checking centre, top-four defenceman. What I said the Sabres needed last year: Depth forwards, one top four defenceman, another defenceman. They added: Ville Leino, Luke Adam, Christian Ehrhoff, Robyn Regehr, Marc-Andre Gragnani. TRADE MARKET Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Ville Leino, Jordan Leopold, Andrej Sekera, Robyn Regehr. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' ' 

DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera is making a late push for the Triple Crown -- and if he keeps swinging like this, the Detroit Tigers could still have a shot in the AL Central. Victor Cruz Authentic Jersey . Cabrera homered twice, including a grand slam in the eighth inning, and the Tigers routed the Oakland Athletics 12-2 on Tuesday night. Detroit lost right-hander Max Scherzer after only two innings to fatigue in his throwing shoulder, but an MRI revealed no structural damage. The Chicago White Sox beat Kansas City to remain three games ahead of Detroit atop the division, taking something away from Cabreras big night. "Our job is to win games. Theres no talk about personal numbers," Cabrera said. "Hopefully we can get a good winning streak." Cabrera now leads the American League with a .333 average and 129 RBIs. He also has a career-high 40 homers -- two behind Josh Hamilton for the top spot. The last Triple Crown winner was Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. "Thats a hard thing to do. Youve got to be lucky," Cabrera said. "Hopefully we get lucky in our division and win more games." Prince Fielder and Jhonny Peralta added home runs for the Tigers. Darin Downs (2-1) pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings for the win in relief of Scherzer. Oakland rookie A.J. Griffin (6-1) lost for the first time in his career. "Just wasnt executing pitches the way I usually do," Griffin said. "Wasnt pounding down in the zone, leaving pitches up and they capitalized on it." Scherzer entered the game with a major league-leading 220 strikeouts and added four more to that total before leaving after only two innings. Hes expected to go a couple days without throwing, then be evaluated again. "I didnt have any pain in my shoulder -- it was just like my arm was dead," Scherzer said. "MRI came back negative. All the structural -- its all good." After a gut-wrenching 5-4 loss to the White Sox in Chicago on Monday, the Tigers were back home, where theyve now won 27 of 35. Theyll play their next nine games at home before going on the road for the final six. Griffin was the only pitcher since at least 1918 to allow three runs or fewer and walk two batters or fewer in each of his first 11 career starts. That streak came to an end Tuesday. He allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings, walking one and striking out three. Oakland took the lead in the first on an RBI single by Brandon Moss, but Detroit answered immediately with Cabreras sacrifice fly. Peralta gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the second with his 12th homer of the year, and Cabrera hit a solo shot of his own the following inning. Fielders 27th homer of the year -- a two-run shot in the fifth -- made it 5-1, and the As never made much progress against the Detroit relievers. Oakland came in three games behind first-place Texas in the AL West, but leading the wild-card race. This 10-game swing to Detroit, New York and Texas is their last trip of the regular season. Austin Jackson hit an RBI double in the sixth for Detroit, and Quintin Berry added a two-run double to make it 8-1. Berry left in the top of the seventh with a right shoulder contusion after a diving attempt to catch Josh Reddicks double. X-rays were negative. Reddick scored on a single by Yoenis Cespedes. Oakland outfielder Coco Crisp started after having been out since Saturday. Hed missed time because of an allergic reaction in his left eye, and he left this game in the fourth because of complications to an existing eye infection. Detroit added four more runs in the eighth on Cabreras grand slam. Oakland reliever Jesse Chavez was then ejected for hitting Fielder with a pitch. NOTES: Detroit C Alex Avila did not play and is day-to-day. Hes still recovering after colliding with Fielder on Sunday chasing a pop in Cleveland. Hes been bothered by headaches. His replacement, Gerald Laird, had three hits. .. Moss had three hits for the As. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (14-8) takes the mound Wednesday night against Oakland LHP Brett Anderson (4-1). Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey . Cheer tackle Willie Roafs induction. Watch Drew Brees produce a touchdown on his only try. Victor Cruz Womens Jersey . Coaches hoped the nine goals for would help some players get more confident with the offensive side of the game. Saturday night in Tampa may have been the Jets best game of the season. http://www.nikenewyorkgiantsjerseyssale.com/hakeem-nicks-jerseys .S. Open mixed doubles field, Ekaterina Makarova and Bruno Soares are now Grand Slam champions. Jason Pierre-Paul Womens Jersey . The 25-year-old Surman joined Norwich from Wolverhampton in 2010, and had four goals last season as the Canaries finished 12th in the English Premier League. Andre Brown Jersey . Frank Francisco walked a pair of batters with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning, then gave up a two-run double to Martin Prado that put the potential tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second.The Phoenix Coyotes staved off elimination, avoiding a sweep, with a 2-0 win over the Kings in Game Four at Los Angeles. Phoenix managed to win despite being outshot 36-21 in the game, the eighth time in this years playoffs that the Coyotes have been outshot by at least 15 shots in a game; they have a 4-4 record in those games. The reason that Phoenix manages to survive while getting outshot by such a margin is the play of goaltender Mike Smith, who has recorded at least 35 saves in nine of 15 playoff games. If the Coyotes are to have any hope in this series, they need a superhuman effort from Smith but, considering the Kings ability to get under his skin early in the series, it still seems unlikely that Smith can lead a rally for a team getting so dominated in the possession game. Phoenix got both their goals from captain Shane Doan, his first goals of the series and the first goal was assisted by Ray Whitney, his first point of the series, ending a six-game scoreless drought. Doan also tied defenceman Derek Morris for the Coyotes team lead with five hits. While the Kings number one line of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams dominatted territorial play, the combined for a total of seven shots on goal, so a certain amount of credit is due to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Michal Rozsival, the defence pairing that ended up against that trio most often (per www. Andre Brown Womens Jersey. imeonice.com). Trevor Lewis continued to be a factor in moderate ice time (13:32), tying Drew Doughty with a game-high five shots on goal and leading the Kings with five hits. Lewis has been an unheralded contributor to the Kings in this playoff run. He scored seven points in 72 regular season games and has six points in 13 playoff games, working on a terrific third line with Jarret Stoll and Dwight King. So, while the Coyotes have to be encouraged that they are heading home for another game, there is little reason to get optimistic about a miracle comeback because the Kings are just controlling too much of the play. If the Coyotes can change that fundamental difference, then there might be some reason for hope, but were not there yet. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' ' 

Where do the Vancouver Canucks go from here? One year ago, the team was within a game of winning the Stanley Cup. Patrick Willis Pink Jersey . Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said at the time that injuries had derailed the team and he planned to stay the course.   "If you keep knocking on the door, youre going to break through," he said in his post-season address last June. And so they went. For the most part, the team coasted through this seasons 82-game schedule, waiting for their next crack at the playoffs. They did, however, show up for the worthy opponents. In their biggest games of the season - matches against the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins - they were 7-2-1 before February 27. On that day, the NHLs trade deadline, Gillis rolled the dice and changed his teams course. He traded away his third-line centre - the offensively gifted Calder Trophy candidate, Cody Hodgson - and replaced him with the defence-minded Samuel Pahlsson. The team was adapting to the way the NHL was trending, Gillis explained. His newly-adjusted roster would be able to win tight-checking, one-goal games.  Looking back now, that lack of scoring would help contribute to the clubs demise. One year after going to the finals, the Canucks flamed out in dramatic fashion. They lost their first round series to the L.A. Kings, and over the five games, they potted just six goals. The supporting cast around Daniel and Henrik Sedin that was so critical in last years run was collectively less effective this time around. Players like Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows, Mason Raymond, Alex Edler, David Booth, Chris Higgins, and Maxim Lapierre all struggled against Los Angeles. So now we consider their fates. Raymond and Cory Schneider are headed to restricted free agency while Sami Salo will be unrestricted.  And then theres Roberto Luongo. Despite his no-trade clause, speculation is flying about his desire to stay in Vancouver.  If that wasnt enough, theres the coach. Alain Vigneaults decisions, aside from keeping Schneider in net for Games 4 and 5, left many baffled.  Booth, who had never played with the Sedins before, was on their line in critical playoff games. Lapierre, who had chemistry with them down the stretch, was not. Burrows and Kesler, whove shown chemistry every time they were united in the past, were kept separate until the third game of the series. Vigneault, whose regular season coaching record with the Canucks is 287-155-50, has a playoff record of 28-24 with the team. His future is also in the air. Again, we ask the question: Where do the Canucks go from here? As always, its Your! Call. Ronnie Lott Jersey .J. -- The oldest coach to win a Super Bowl will get at least three more shots at adding to his total. Patrick Willis Womens Jersey .P. Arencibia had a good day at the plate, but it was what he did behind it that satisfied him the most. http://www.officialsanfrancisco49ersgear.com/vernon-davis-jersey . Frazier hit a two-run homer in a six-run second inning and Johnny Cueto overcame a pair of rare long balls to pitch into the eighth inning Thursday, leading the surging Reds to their 13th win in 14 games, 9-4 over the Padres. Jerry Rice Jersey . The move had been speculated for some time, as the leagues payment plan for use of The Big House at the University of Michigan calls for $250,000 to be paid to the school on Nov. Frank Gore Womens Jersey . -- Although plenty of athletes have used sports to lift themselves up from difficult backgrounds, Lizette Salas path to the pros isnt the sort of story thats often heard in golf.OTTAWA (CIS) – Laval quarterback Tristan Grenon, McMaster linebacker Nick Shorthill and Calgary kicker Johnny Mark are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 29, 2012. The selection was made by a committee comprised of members of Football Reporters of Canada (FRC). Grenon, a fourth-year business administration student from Quebec City, was honoured on offence following a career-best performance in a dominating 48-10 road win against nationally-ranked Sherbrooke, on Saturday. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound pivot, in his first season as the Rouge et Ors starting QB, completed 29 of 35 passes (83%) for 360 yards and three touchdowns and gained another 25 yards on six rushes while leading his troops to 29 first downs and 557 total yards of offence. Grenon connected with receiver Matthew Norzil for a 63-yard major on Lavals first play from scrimmage 31 seconds into the contest, and hit Norzil again at the 10-minute mark, this time for a 50-yard touchdown that gave the reigning RSEQ champions a 16-0 lead. Saint Marys running back Michael Dawes, McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan and Calgary receiver Richard Snyder were also up for the award. Shorthill, a second-year science student from Nobleton, Ont., took home the weekly honour on deffence after he helped the top-ranked Marauders to a 33-27 road win over No. Colin Kaepernick Jersey. . 7 Western in front of close to 11,000 homecoming fans in London, on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore racked up a game-high 11 tackles, including three quarterback sacks for 23 yards of losses, part of a nine-sack effort by the McMaster defensive unit. Ten of his tackles were of the solo variety. Saint Marys lineman Nigel Romick, Montreal lineman Jean-Samuel Blanc and Calgary linebacker Jordan Verdone were also nominated. Mark, a second-year science student from Peterborough, Ont., was the choice on special teams after he tied a single-game team record with six field goals in a 45-4 domination of Saskatchewan, Saturday night in Calgary. The 6-foot, 175-pound sophomore was good on all six of his attempts, splitting the uprights from 41, 13, 19, 24, 37 and 11 yards. The 2011 all-Canadian added three extra points and two singles to account for more than half of the Dinos points in the contest with 23, and also averaged 45 yards on eight punts, including a pair that landed inside the five-yard line and subsequently forced the Huskies to concede safeties. Acadia punter Kyle Graves, Laval kicker Boris Bede and Queens returner Chris Patrician were also up for the distinction. ' ' ' 

OAKLAND, Calif. Jay Feely Jersey . -- Pitcher Brandon McCarthy is ready for a normal off-season after being medically cleared this week to resume his regular routine, less than three months after being struck in the head by a line drive and undergoing emergency brain surgery. "Everythings good," McCarthy said by telephone Thursday. "This last month I have taken the rest part very seriously. I have a couple little projects Ive picked up, I read -- Im actually really good at being lazy. It kind of worked out well timing wise." McCarthy, a free agent right-hander who was Oaklands opening-day starter last March in Tokyo, spent Monday and Tuesday undergoing extensive evaluations by renowned concussion expert, Dr. Michael Collins, at the University of Pittsburgh. He returned to his Dallas-area home Wednesday and was cleared by Collins to begin working out. "Today Ill start doing something, easing in and starting the program they gave me," McCarthy said. "Next week Ill be heading back to where I usually work out." McCarthy took a line drive to the right side of his head off the bat of the Los Angeles Angels Erick Aybar on Sept. 5. The 29-year-old McCarthy sustained an epidural hemorrhage, brain contusion and skull fracture on the play, then underwent a two-hour surgery at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. After the frightening ordeal, the club initially referred to McCarthys situation as "life-threatening." Now, he checks in with Dr. Collins once a week to let him know that everything is going well, or if something seems a little off. McCarthys concussion symptoms have subsided, but he still has to use caution and take notice of everything when exerting himself. "Going to Dr. Collins kind of confirmed all that, youre back to where youd be at normally," McCarthy said. "As I go back to working out, as long as I feel fine, Im pretty much on my own. Ill slowly ease back into working out, then jump back into my full program." McCarthy went 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA this year in his sixth big league season and second with the As. McCarthy was 9-9 with a 3.32 ERA last season. He plans to begin playing catch next month, then throw bullpens starting in January if all continues to go well. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported he had been cleared to resume baseball activities. "It worked out well I recovered in the time I did," McCarthy said. "This shouldnt be something lingers into the off-season." The AL West champion As have received regular updates on McCarthys condition, and he could still be a good option to re-sign as long as the medical reports remain positive. McCarthy plans to let the process play out in time -- knowing his case isnt as it would be had he not been hurt late in the year with such a scary injury that left plenty questioning whether he would ever pitch again. The support from the As front office, medical staff, coaches, teammates and fans has meant so much to McCarthy and his wife, Amanda. "Its definitely not something Id rule out," he said of staying with Oakland. "The timing is a little strange going into free agency for the first time, having different options, waiting to see where youre at health wise. Well listen to everybody. Its a whirlwind. But (Oakland), its absolutely a place Id love to be." Patrick Peterson Jersey . Louis Cardinals. He sure got plenty of help on Sunday. Holliday had four hits and four RBIs, Adam Wainwright won his fifth consecutive start and the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Sunday. Larry Fitzgerald Womens Jersey . Their surge is hardly a coincidence. Matt Joyce hit a two-run homer and a two-run double, Jose Molina drove in three runs, and the Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 12-6 on Friday night to keep pace in the crowded American League wild card race with their ninth win in 12 games. http://www.fanstorecardinals.com/patrick-peterson-jersey . Former captain Mike Richards and former standout Jeff Carter are still playing for the Los Angeles Kings weeks after the Flyers were eliminated in the post-season. The duo will be on the same line when the Kings play Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals Wednesday night in New Jersey. Pat Tillman Jersey . The 26-year-old Podolski will add proven, international class to an Arsenal strikeforce that has been reliant on the goalscoring exploits of Robin van Persie in a turbulent campaign this season. LaRod Stephens-Howling Jersey . It will be the second time that the 25-year-old will serve as team captain in his international career, also doing the honours on the 2010 World Championships team. The Indianapolis native, acquired by the Blue Jackets on Feb.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Dustin Brown caught the hockey worlds attention early in the Los Angeles Kings incredible playoff run. Now its Anze Kopitar getting the international notice that often eludes West Coast players, and his teammates couldnt be happier. Kopitar has 18 points in the post-season, including 14 in the Kings last 11 games. With a goal and an assist in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, the NHLs first Slovenian player moved into a tie with New Jerseys Ilya Kovalchuk as the post-seasons leading scorer. "Hes pretty amazing," Kings centre Mike Richards said Tuesday. "Id put him top-five, top-three in the league with his skill level and everything he does. Hes a laid-back guy who doesnt like the spotlight too much. He probably enjoys being out here where you dont get that much attention, and you can just do your thing." With eight goals, Kopitar is tied with Philadelphias Claude Giroux and Danny Briere as the post-seasons leading goal-scorer. He even shares the league lead in plus-minus with Brown, whos also plus-15. Kopitar is getting every defences attention, but he has contributed splendidly throughout the post-season. The Kings leading scorer in the regular season is even more motivated after missing last years first-round playoff series loss to San Jose when he broke his ankle with seven games left in the regular season. "You have to win in this league to get recognized," Kopitar said. "Thats what good players are going to do. Right now, its a lot of fun to play in this environment, on this stage." Brown permanently made the Kings roster one year before Kopitar, but theyve been paired in the Kings plans and in fans minds since 2006. Sam Acho Jersey. Once considered the young core of Los Angeles distant future, theyve led the Kings through the post-season by growing into responsibility as leaders, elite scorers and linemates with Justin Williams. "Me and Anze have been pretty close since the day we got here," Brown said. "Weve been friends, and weve played together for our whole careers. ... It was about a year or two ago you saw something different in him, both from a defensive standpoint and physically. The first couple of years, hed go in the corner and get knocked around a little bit. Now he goes into the corner and comes out with the puck." The 24-year-old Kopitar has already played six seasons with the Kings, who drafted him in 2005 and brought him over from a club team in Sweden in 2006. Kopitar scored two goals in his NHL debut, skating around Anaheim defenceman Chris Pronger for the first score with a move that still thrills Brown nearly six years later. Kopitars physical maturation in the past two seasons has been impressive. The former finesse forward now handles the puck along the boards with a command that recalls fellow California NHL stars Joe Thornton and Ryan Getzlaf, fighting off defences with his size and agility. "Ever since my first day in the league, Kopi has been surprising me every day with something new," Kings defenceman Drew Doughty said. "Ive never seen a player whos that good on his backhand, and thats just the start of his skills. Hes got something new all the time, and hes a big reason were here." ' ' ' 

NEW YORK -- For eight innings, the only real drama that filled pumped-up Citi Field was whether R. Steve Young Jersey .A. Dickey would get a shutout to go along with his 19th win. When the New York Mets star knuckleballer went back to the mound for the ninth, a shutout seemed like a foregone conclusion, but moments later all Dickey could do was watch from the bench and hope that struggling reliever Jon Rauch could shut down the Miami Marlins with the tying run on second base. Rauch came through by the slimmest of margins, and Dickey and the Mets breathed a sigh of relief when they escaped with a 4-3 victory on Saturday. Dickey allowed a four-pitch walk and a double to open the ninth, and Rauch surrendered a three-run homer to John Buck before striking out Gorkys Hernandez to end it. "We ultimately got the win but it was definitely a little harder than we wanted it to be," said Jason Bay, who staked Dickey to a 2-0 lead with a second-inning homer. Just hours after the Mets snapped a nine-game losing streak at Citi Field on Friday and scored more than three runs in their home ballpark for the first time since Aug. 12, New York broke out the bats again in front of a crowd of 30,332. The Marlins rallied but couldnt finish off the comeback after Buck was awarded a home run when a video review determined his drive struck the left-field foul pole. "I knew it hit the pole and I was just waiting for the reversal," Bay said. "It was kind of like, this cant be happening." The Mets have won consecutive games at home for the first time since topping Houston on Aug. 25-26 -- the last two games before the start of their most recent home skid. Dickey got to 19 wins on his third try after two consecutive losses -- the only time this season he has been beaten in back-to-back starts. Washingtons Gio Gonzalez, who earned his 20th win on Saturday, and Dickey are the only major leaguers with at least 19. The knuckleballer batted for himself in the eighth, despite already throwing 104 pitches, and heard cheers and chants of his name when he returned to the mound in the ninth. He tried to finish his fourth shutout of the season but was pulled after Greg Dobbs led off with a walk and Donovan Solano followed with a double. "Nobody wants this guy to win more than me," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "I could not let him get into a situation where he might lose that game." Rauch then allowed Bucks 12th homer before getting three outs for his fourth save. "I had a quick eighth, so I was game to try to give the fans a treat and a complete game," Dickey said. "I felt pretty good and I told Terry, Im good. He has trusted me all year. I went back out there and tried it, and he pulled me when he needed to and we won the game." Dickey yielded two runs, six hits -- including three by Solano and two by Gil Velazquez -- and two walks. Dickey nearly provided another thrill with his bat when he sent a long drive to left field with the bases loaded in the sixth, but was robbed of an extra-base hit when Bryan Petersen jumped into the fence to make a highlight-reel catch. "That is as close as Ill probably ever get," Dickey said. "That was all this old man can do. I cheated on the pitch. He threw me a good pitch to hit. Everything was perfect." After a wild pitch on a knuckler, Dickey worked out of a jam in the second inning by striking out Hernandez and Jose Reyes with runners on second and third. "He struck out the guy when he needed to strike out the guy," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "That was a huge, huge inning for him." Five of Dickeys wins this season have come against the last-place Marlins, the only team in the NL East behind the Mets. He should get one more start against them in the final series of the season in Miami. "He obviously is good. Its not like hes just had our number," Buck said. "We didnt single-handedly hand him the Cy Young. He did have to face some other teams. Were obviously a big part of the reason." Dickey struck out four to retake the league lead from Los Angeles Clayton Kershaw and will be in position to reach 20 wins for the first time when he faces Pittsburgh on Thursday in his final home start of the season. Bay provided the punch against Mark Buehrle (13-13) in the second by launching a two-run homer to straightaway centre for his eighth of the season. It was Bays second consecutive shot against Buehrle, having hit a grand slam against the left-hander in Miami on Sept. 2 to pace the Mets to a 5-1 win. Scott Hairston pushed New Yorks lead to 3-0 in the fourth when he led off with his 19th homer of the season and second in two days. Hairston had to wait through a video review before he finished his trot in from second base, as the ball was originally ruled in play off the centre field fence. Replays showed the ball struck the batters eye above the blue wall 408 feet from home plate. Buehrle allowed four runs and five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings of his 30th start of the season. He is six innings shy of reaching 200, which would give him 12 straight seasons of 10 wins, 30 starts and 200 innings -- the longest current streak in the majors. NOTES: Mets closer Frank Francisco was again unavailable after feeling soreness in his elbow. ... Dickey is the first Mets pitcher with 19 wins since Frank Viola (20) and Dwight Gooden (19) did it in 1990. ... Lucas Duda returned to the Mets lineup one day after being pulled from the game by Collins for not running out a pop fly that dropped. ... Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton sat out a fourth consecutive game because of a strained muscle in his side. ... Buehrle is 0-3 against the Mets in his career, all this season. Anthony Davis Jersey . Joey Elliott will make his fifth straight start at quarterback when the Blue Bombers visit the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night. Patrick Willis Jersey . The party never happened -- at least not at the ballpark. Baltimore clinched its first playoff berth since 1997, but not until late Sunday when the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-7 in the finale of a day-night doubleheader. http://www.shopthe49ersjerseys.com/alex-smith-jersey . -- Dustin Penner scored 17:42 into overtime and the Los Angeles Kings are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time as a franchise after beating the Phoenix Coyotes with a 4-3 win in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final Tuesday night. Randy Moss Womens Jersey . Raonic and American Sam Querrey had their second-round match postponed by darkness. Watch the conclusion of the match on Friday, with coverage on TSN starting at 7am et/4am pt. Colin Kaepernick Youth Jersey . Scotts goal ended a 305-minute drought for the Sounders (3-1-1). Michael Gspurning picked up his second straight shutout and third of the season. Colorado (3-3-0) was blanked for the second straight game, both on the road.LAKE ORION, Mich. -- Bernhard Langer surged into the lead at the U.S. Senior Open by shooting 6-under 64 to move to 10 under for the tournament and a four-stroke lead on Saturday. Fred Couples joked that someone will have to close with a 60 to catch Langer. That might not be low enough. "Thats not a huge lead," Langer insisted. "That can disappear in no time. Im going to have to get out there and shoot under par. Thats my goal. "If I go 2 under or 3 under, it will be very difficult for anyone to catch me. And if they do, they deserve to win." The two-time Masters champion opened with three straight birdies and eight in 12 holes at Indianwood, a course with tight and unforgiving fairways and undulating greens. "He didnt win two Masters by luck," said Corey Pavin, who was in a five-way tie for second place. "Hes an exceptionally good player, very methodical." Victorias Jim Rutledge is tied for 58th at 7-over 217. Langer didnt miss a green in regulation during the third round until the par-3 No. 13, where a double bogey cut his cushion to three shots. He bounced back with a birdie at 15 before giving that stroke back with a bogey at 18. Pavin, Tom Lehman, Roger Chapman, John Huston and Tom Pernice Jr. were at 6-under 204. Couples surged up the leaderboard with a 65 after starting the day tied for 25th place. He was part of a pack -- along with Fred Funk and Jay Haas -- that was five shots back in a tie for seventh at the Champion Tours fourth of five majors. First-round leader Tom Kite and second-round leader Lance Ten Broeck were struggling in the final group. Kite finished with a 74 to drop into a tie for 17th, nine shots back. Since opening with a U.S. Senior Open nine-hole record 28, Kite is 6 over. Ten Broeck, a full-time caddie for Tim Herron and occasional player, shot a 72 with three birdies and five bogeys. He is alone in 11th place, six shots back, after starting the round with a one-shot lead over Kite and a two-stroke edge on a group that included Langer. Pavin was tied with Langer coming in and finished the third round four shots back, insisting he only thought about a two-stroke penalty from Thursday when a reporter asked about it. Mario Manningham Jersey. After pulling into a first-round tie for the lead, Pavin was docked two shots for hitting a ball that moved a fraction of an inch when he grounded his club to prepare for a chip. Couples, who said that his chronic back problems have kept him from ever practicing for a Champions Tour event, got into contention by driving the green at the 360-yard, par-4 No. 9 and posting an eagle from 105 yards on the next hole that created a buzz on the course. "You know its going to be close when they start to ooh and aah," he said. "As it went closer, they threw their hands up. Yeah, its a great feeling. You dont make many eagles, especially from the fairway." Langer scored with his flat stick, making a pair of 20-foot-plus putts for birdies on the first two holes while building confidence on a course set up to be a tough test for the best 50-and-older golfers in the world. The 54-year-old German has nine top-10 finishes in his 11 previous Champion Tour events this season, including three runner-up showings, and is shooting for his first win since needing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb last year. Langer sounds as if hes back to being the golfer that led the senior circuit money list from 2008-2010 -- each of his first three seasons on the Champion Tour -- before slipping to 25 last year because of a surgery-stunted season. "Without being big headed, I think Im one of the better players out here the last three or four years," he said. "Ive won the Schwab Cup. If you do that, youve got to play well. If you can win normal tournaments and be in the top five or top 10 on a regular basis, you ought to be doing fairly well in the majors too because the majors are even harder. "The better players, I think, will separate themselves even more from the average player in the majors because conditions are usually tougher. ' ' ' 

CHICAGO -- Two days after a surprise move to Tottenham, Clint Dempsey was selected squad in the United States squad for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica. Christian Ponder Womens Jersey . Though Dempsey has not played a competitive match since a qualifier in June, when he scored the lone U.S. goal in a 1-1 draw at Guatemala, coach Jurgen Klinsmann wouldnt rule out using him Friday, when the Americans play at Kingston with the top spot in Group A at stake. "We are absolutely open to throwing him in the water right away in Jamaica -- if hes really in a good physical condition and feeling really fine," Klinsmann said on a conference call. They host the Reggae Boyz four days later in Columbus, Ohio. The U.S. and Jamaica have identical records of one win and one draw in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but the Americans lead Group A on goal differential. Having Dempsey, who is fifth on the all-time U.S. list with seven goals in World Cup qualifying, is critical because the Americans will be without both Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. Donovan hasnt played since straining a hamstring during the historic upset at Mexico on Aug. 15, and Bradley injured his thigh in last weekends Serie A opener. Midfielder Josh Gatt was in the initial 25-man squad, but had to withdraw with a hamstring injury. He wont be replaced, Klinsmann said. "There will never be game where we have everybody 100 per cent on board. Its just the way soccer works," Klinsmann said. Dempsey spent the last five-plus seasons at Fulham, where he led the team with 23 goals last year. But he made no secret of his desire to play for a club that could contend for a spot in the Champions League. With a year left on his contract, he had to force a transfer, and he sat out the beginning of the English Premier League season while he and Fulham tried to sort out his status. Liverpool had appeared to be Dempseys most likely destination, but negotiations with Fulham fell apart. Then, just before Fridays trade deadline, a deal was reached to send Dempsey to Tottenham. The London club finished fourth in the league last season but was knocked out of Englands final Champions League spot when Chelsea won the Champions League title. Dempseys new deal was finalized too late for him to play Saturday, but he was in the stands for Tottenhams 1-1 draw with Norwich. "First of all, we are happy that this whole thing was finalized," Klinsmann said. "It is really important now that Clint can put this behind him. It was not all the time pretty what happened the last couple of months. ... Obviously he dragged this with him the whole summer. He was concerned about it, which is normal. Im happy the decision was finally made and finally the move happened. Now he comes in and well evaluate him." Dempsey has been training with Fulhams youth players, and also was doing work with the clubs trainer. That kind of one-on-one work can sometimes be more beneficial than training with the full squad, Klinsmann said. "Well test his fitness level right away when he comes in," Klinsmann said. "Based on all that information ... we can see how we play him in those two very, very important World Cup qualifiers." The Americans are unbeaten against Jamaica, winning 10 and drawing eight matches, but have never won a World Cup qualifier in Jamaica. Theyd never won a game in Mexico until last month, either, and Klinsmann said the upset at Azteca Stadium can only boost the Americans confidence as they head to Jamaica. "Jamaica, its a very good team. ... They have a lot of speed in there so theyre dangerous in transition," Klinsmann said. "We know what to expect so thats why have lot of respect for them. But I also think if we play to our strengths, we have chance to beat them in Jamaica." ------ Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago), Nick Rimando (Salt Lake). Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander), Geoff Cameron (Stoke), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Maurice Edu (Stoke), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham). Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Brek Shea (Dallas), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Kansas City). Forwards: Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna). Brett Favre Vikings Jersey . The New York Yankees acquired the star outfielder from the Seattle Mariners in a trade Monday for two young pitchers. "I am going from a team with the most losses to a team with the most wins," he said. Adrian Peterson Jersey . Durant scored 44 points, but Danny Granger had 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 103-98 on Friday night for their fourth straight win. http://www.cheapminnesotavikingsjerseys.com/ . Mark Scheifele and Alexander Burmistrov were among the notable players given assignments at other levels. Drafted seventh overall by the Jets in 2011, Sheifele was assigned to the Barrie Colts of the OHL. Percy Harvin Jersey . -- Even though the new boss wasnt in attendance, the Detroit Pistons did their best to make a good first impression. Jared Allen Womens Jersey . - Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop can retire that "Mr. ATLANTA -- Fred Couples, a former Masters champion and one of the most popular figures in the game, was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Couples described himself as a good player, but not a great player, though hes turned in some amazing performances. Among his 15 wins on the PGA Tour are the 1992 Masters and two at The Players Championship, including an eagle-birdie-par finish in 1996. He played in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup five times each, and next year will be captain of the Presidents Cup for the third time. He was No. 1 in the world for four months in 1992. "There are other people in the Hall of Fame that are maybe good players. But good is a good thing," Couples said from Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. "Ive been good at it for a long time, and I hope to continue to play a few more years." Couples was elected on the PGA Tour ballot with a record-low 51 per cent. The minimum for election is 65 per cent, although there is a clause that when no one gets the minimum, the leading vote-getter is elected provided he has at least 50 per cent of the vote. Vijay Singh was elected in 2005 with 56 per cent. Still to be announced are the results from the International ballot, along with who is selected from the Veterans category and Lifetime Achievement to round out the 2013 class. The induction will be May 6 -- the Monday of The Players Championship -- at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. The voters consist of international golf and sports media, Hall of Fame members, golf and sports hiistorians and dignitaries from each of the major golf organizations. Christian Ponder Jersey. Couples jokingly referred to the election as a popularity contest, although it did raise questions. Davis Love III, who has won 20 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1997 PGA Championship and The Players Championship twice, received 38 per cent of the vote. He tied for second in the voting with Ken Venturi, the 1964 U.S. Open champion who won 14 times and was the longtime analyst for CBS Sports. Mark OMeara won 16 times on the PGA Tour and two majors, both in 1998 when he became the oldest player to win two majors in one year. He was fourth in the voting with 36 per cent of the vote. Couples was the best in the world in the early 1990s, particularly during the early part of the PGA Tour season. His career was hampered by back injuries in 1994, though he remained competitive at certain events -- especially Augusta National -- even after turning 50. "Ive won 15 times and a major and all that," Couples said. "But I think one of the things Ive done well is played for a long time. Sometimes that is meaningless. I think when you get in the Hall of Fame, its more about the finishes youve had, and I know a lot about the baseball Hall of Fame. I know a little bit about the football Hall of Fame, and the way they talk about some people not getting in and waiting a long time. "For me, at my age of 52, I think its certainly a great honour and great timing, because it will push me to play a couple more years and see how I can play." ' ' ' 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Haloti Ngata Youth Jersey . -- Everett Teaford was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a lower abdominal strain. Teaford was scheduled to start Sunday for the Kansas City Royals. He was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in three games, including one start with Kansas City. The Royals recalled right-hander Nate Adcock from Omaha and he will start Sunday against Arizona. Adcock was 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA in four relief appearances in two previous stints with the Royals. Adcock was the losing pitcher Wednesday against Baltimore. He went five innings and allowed one run -- Adam Jones home run in the 15th inning -- and three hits and a walk. Terrell Suggs Jersey . Theyre hoping he will be all right. But the usually jovial attitude inside the Colts locker room turned serious whenever the topic turned to Collie and his history of head injuries. Cary Williams Jersey . What a debut. No. 5 Oregon scored a touchdown on all seven possessions with Mariota at the helm in the first half Saturday on the way to a 57-34 rout of Arkansas State that wasnt as close as the final score. http://www.officialbaltimoreravensgear.com/justin-tucker-jersey . Edwin Encarnacion had a three-run homer, J.P. Arencibia cracked a two-run shot and both Jose Bautista and Kelly Johnson added solo home runs in Wednesdays 8-1 victory which was fueled by an 11-3 advantage in hits. Dennis Pitta Womens Jersey . New general manager Marc Bergevin reached into the teams past Tuesday when he named 48-year-old Therrien to replace Randy Cunneyworth as coach of the team that finished last in the NHLs Eastern Conference last season. Michael Oher Womens Jersey . The No. 1 overall draft pick threw his first NFL pass for a long touchdown, just like Peyton Manning in 1998, then led Indianapolis to two more touchdowns. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- If Peyton Manning is sore, hes not saying. If his arm is less than it used to be, well, he said, "It is what it is." Done with his first practice following his first loss as a Denver Bronco, Manning spoke the words of a quarterback who simply wants to move on. Did the nine hits he took in the 27-21 loss to Atlanta leave him sore as he prepares for the Houston Texans on a short work week? "I dont really get into that," Manning said Wednesday. "Ive never really answered that question before. So, Im full participation in practice." What about the strength of his arm, which has been discussed and debated by everyone from John Elway -- who last week told The Associated Press its getting stronger but "probably not where he wants it to be" -- to the fan in the top row at Sports Authority Field? "I am what I am, it is what it is, whatever expression is appropriate for that," Manning said. "So, I dont know what to tell you." As for those three interceptions he threw in the first quarter against the Falcons -- well, Manning says, these things happen, but they certainly didnt diminish his confidence. "Its not deterred at all, if youre insinuating that," he said. "Were still learning about each other. Were playing different opponents each week, live bullets, different types of defences. The key is, you want to win games as you are continuing to learn." That wont be easy this Sunday. The Texans (2-0) have allowed a total of 248 passing yards, 392 total yards and 17 points over their first two games -- all league-leading statistics at this early point in the season. Not exactly the type of team the Broncos (1-1) want to face on a short week after Manning got sacked three times and knocked down six more. But instead of dwelling on the minuses from the last game, Manning took solace in the fact that the Broncos bounced back from a 20-0 deficit to get within a score late. They lost by six points on the road despite committing four turnovers and creating none. Manning took umbrage to any thought that he looked dejected on the sideline at the end of the game. "I think it was more of a determined look," he said. "When you get off to a slow start, youre determined. Dejected means you go out there, you lay down, you get beat 35-0. So, determined, I think, would be the more appropriate terms, and hopefully, we can build off that." Famous are the stories of Manning spending extra time on the practice field working on routes and building chemistry with receivers Reggie Wayne and Marvin HHarrison in Indianapolis. Jacoby Jones Womens Jersey. Hes got a couple of hard workers in Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas, but theres a difference between the eight to 10 years he spent with the Colts receivers and the six months hes spent in Denver. "There is a process there," Manning said. "I do think theres off-season work and theres in-season work, going against different defences." Also moving on is coach John Fox, who repeated the mantra that Mannings return to the NFL is a long-term project, not a two-week deal. "I dont think were a finished product yet, by any stretch, when you consider this is the first year that hes played in this offence and with these teammates," Fox said. "There are going to be some growing pains and it doesnt happen overnight." A bit was made of the fact that rookie backup quarterback Brock Osweiler was warming up at the end of Mondays game, ready to be called upon if the Broncos had gotten the ball back with under 30 seconds left and a long, desperation pass to heave. Not such a big deal, said Fox, who thought Mannings "arm looked way better in the second half than it did in the first half." "Had we had to throw a 60-yard Hail Mary, we might go with a 20-year old arm versus a 36-year old arm," Fox said. All of this -- the arm strength, the chemistry, the general rustiness from not playing at full speed for more than a season -- helps explain why Manning is getting somewhat of a break in the court of public opinion after a game in which he matched his worst quarter, interception-wise, in his 15-year career. After all, it was only one bad game. The bigger question, however, is how hell bounce back. The quarterback isnt asking for miracles. And while not giving away anything about Sundays game plan, he stated one obvious area for improvement. "Weve got to get off to a better start," he said. "It doesnt have to be a great start, get out and go, you know, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. But against a team like Houston, youve got to get off to a better start on both sides of the ball and kind of feed off one another. Once we got into the building today, it was on to Houston, and I think theyre easy to grab your attention because of the way they play on both sides of the ball." Notes: LB Von Miller was limited in practice with a hip injury. ... CB Chris Harris, who hasnt practiced since spraining his right ankle in the opener against Pittsburgh, was held out of practice again and did conditioning work on the side. ... S Quinton Carter was limited with a knee injury. ' ' '