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TORONTO -- Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:19:43 +0100

TORONTO -- Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista suffered a right ankle injury while sliding into third base in Torontos 16-7 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.X-rays were negative and he will be re-evaluated Friday morning. Jays manager John Farrell said Bautista will likely undergo an MRI exam and is listed as day to day.Bautista suffered the injury in the fourth inning as his outstretched right leg was about to touch the bag. He immediately clutched his ankle and was in obvious pain."When he slid into third, he caught a spike in the dirt and thats where he turned (the ankle)," Farrell said.On the play, Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion grounded out to Yankees infielder Eduardo Nunez, who touched third base to get a force out on Bautista before throwing to first base to complete the double play. Nunez did not appear to make contact with Bautista.The Jays third baseman stayed on the ground for about 30 seconds as he was tended to by a team trainer. Bautista eventually stood up and gingerly walked back to the dugout."Hopefully this isnt a prolonged situation where hes going to miss any length of time," Farrell said.Bautista, who was replaced in the lineup by John McDonald, needed treatment after the game and was not available for comment."You never want to see anybody get hurt, especially our leader in Jose," said catcher J.P. Arencibia. "I didnt get to see what happened, I just saw him in pain on the (turf). Hes a fighter and hell be back as soon as possible."Bautista is having an MVP-calibre season. He leads the major leagues with 31 home runs, has knocked in 65 runs and batted cleanup for the American League at this weeks all-star game. He went 1-for-2 on Thursday night to boost his average to .336.Bautista signed a US$65-million, five-year contract extension with the Blue Jays in the off-season. NFL Vinny Curry Eagles Jersey .Madrid qualified 5-2 on aggregate, but it was Ronaldos third goal in the 87th minute at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the second leg that put the result of the last-16 match beyond doubt.It was Ronaldos third hat trick this season and the 18th of his Madrid career, but his opening goal in the third minute was the pick of the three. NFL Randall Cunningham Eagles Jersey .The Texas A&M quarterback became the first freshman to be voted The Associated Press Player of the Year in college football on Tuesday. http://www.officialsaintteamshop.com/autographed-junior-galette-jersey-da-55.html .Both clubs announced the news on their websites Wednesday, with Inter adding that Cassano has signed a two-year contract.Cassano, who will wear his usual No. 99 jersey at Inter, says "finally, after an eternity, I have arrived at the club I support. cheap Kyle Bosworth cowboys jersey .C. Lions poised to become just the fourth team in league history to win the Grey Cup at home. Customized Torrey Smith Jersey .Baker missed the Reds 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday that clinched the NL Central title. Doctors wanted to keep him one more night to make sure he had fully recovered.KOENIGSSEE, Germany -- Germany made a strong showing in World Cup luge Saturday, with victories in mens doubles and womens singles before a home crowd while Canadian Alex Gough claimed her second straight bronze medal.Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt led the men with their second victory of the season and their 12th World Cup win overall. Among the women, Natalie Geisenberger edged defending and Olympic champion Tatjana Huefner by 0.031 seconds.Gough, from Calgary, was 0.151 behind in third place."I have been sick all week and was just trying to get through that and then pull good starts and have two consistent runs today," Gough said. "There is a dead flat start on this track which definitely plays to a German advantage, but I did my job of reaching my potential today."Im happy to be on the podium again."Huefner, a four-time world champion, set a track record of 50.709 seconds in her second run but was unable to match Geisenbergers time of one minute 41.450 seconds over two heats.It was Geisenbeergers 11th individual career win.dddddddddddd"We had to face difficult conditions today," Geisenberger said. "First, it was cold and very slippery and then in the second run we had snow. Thats why the sleds became sluggish. We changed the setup of my sled ahead of the first run and it really paid off."Calgarys Arianne Jones was 13th and Jordan Smith, also of Calgary, was 16th.Wendl and Arlt finished the two heats in 1:40.977. They beat Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken by 0.415 seconds, a repeat result from the opening doubles race of the season at Igls, Austria."To claim a victory in front of a home crowd is very nice indeed," Arlt said. "We didnt really have more practice runs than our opponents, but of course its always an advantage to compete back home."Austrian brothers Andreas and Wolfgang Linger, the defending World Cup and Olympic champions, were third -- 0.949 behind the winners.Tristan Wa

CALGARY -- Urijah Faber was not expected

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:18:31 +0100

CALGARY -- Urijah Faber was not expected to headline injury-marred UFC 149 in Calgary, but he is vowing to give disappointed fans their moneys worth.Faber (26-5-0) will meet Renan Barao (30-1-0 with one no contest) for the interim bantamweight title as UFC comes to Alberta for the first time. The fight came about after champion Dominick Cruz was sidelined for the year with a knee injury. Then injuries to other fighters prompted a venue shift to the Saddledome from Las Vegas."I dont feel pressure, because I know Im going to deliver," Faber said Thursday during a conference call. "Ive never had a dull fight in my life. Ive watched Barao. Baraos the type of fighter that will always have an exciting fight. Were going to go in there and try to think each other out from the get-go."Faber, a 33-year-old Isla Vista, Calif., native, will get his first UFC title shot on a card that has been completely overhauled. All of the originally-scheduled fights were scrapped because of injuries.Faber, whose nickname is the California Kid, was slated to meet Barao last month in Las Vegas, a site the American preferred. But looking back, he called the extra time to prepare "a breath of fresh air."While Faber has received most of the hype surrounding the fight, Barao, a 25-year-old Brazilian, enters the bout on a 29-fight unbeaten streak. Barao also vowed to put on a good performance for disgruntled fans."I want to show them all that I have," said the Portuguese-speaking Barao through an interpreter. "I want to put on my best fight, and I want to leave there victorious."Fans have expressed their outrage at the revised match schedule, which will have six Canadians on the undercard. Following the changes to the event which quickly sold out, many fans -- a number of whom have spent thousands to travel to Calgary from Saskatchewan and other locales -- posted their tickets for sale on various websites.Others vented their frustrations on Twitter.UFC president Dana White said the injuries to the original combatants forced unprecedented challenges for his organization."This is the craziest card of all time," said White.But he contended that no spectator will have cause for complaint by the time the show is over."The people who got stung in this thing were a lot of scalpers," said White. "Thats who got stung. I can tell you this right now, if youre a UFC fan and you bought a ticket to Calgary, youre going to get exactly what youve paid for."He said the title fight has important future title implications while several hopefuls are vying for a shot to become champion. The revised card is also a testament to UFCs ability to deliver quality fights."If this was a boxing card, this card would have been postponed," said White. "It would have been gone. We built another card. This is not just about putting a fight together, but the fighters coming up and taking these big fights."Tom Wright, the former Canadian Football League commissioner who serves as UFCs director of Canadian operations, said the homegrown talent on display will also add to the excitement.Among the Canadian fighters, relative newcomer James Head (8-2-0) of Mississauga, Ont., will take on veteran Brian Ebersole (50-14-1) of La Porte, Ind.Despite the fans questions about the revised cards quality, there is no doubt UFC will return to Calgary in the future."I can assure you: Well be back to Calgary," said Wright. Tamba Hali Jerseyfree shipping .It took three minutes following his introduction for the 20-year-old to score in the 81st minute, after Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie equalized for Bremen on his league debut in the 75th. Cleveland Browns Customized jersey .The referee issued a red card to Camara, so he will be suspended a total of two games.Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez received a one-game suspension and was fined for endangering the safety of Montreal midfielder Lamar Neagle in the 25th minute of the Impacts 3-1 victory Saturday. http://www.officialpanthersteamshop.com/autographed-jonathan-stewart-jersey-it-91.html .It was the first time in the tournaments history that the top two played for the title. From the start, it was no match.Federer improved to 5-0 in Cincinnati finals and tied Rafael Nadal for the most Masters titles with 21. Maurice Jones-Drew Jersey For Sale .Join our Game Night Blog at 9pm et/6pm pt.The eighth-seeded Kings jumped out to a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series before losing Sundays home contest by a 2-0 score. It was just the second loss for Los Angeles in 13 playoff games this postseason and both setbacks have come on the road,L. Bill Bentley Jersey .Schieber scored in the 57th minute following a perfectly timed low cross from the right by substitute Jakub Blaszczykowski. Schieber slid between City defenders Vincent Kompany and Maicon to tap the ball into the net.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Cassel is getting another chance to be the Chiefs starting quarterback.Cassel will start Thursday nights game at San Diego because Brady Quinn has not been cleared to practice due to a concussion, regaining the starting job -- at least for one week -- that he lost after a dismal five-game stretch to start the season.Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel announced Tuesday that Quinn will not be available, and that Ricky Stanzi will serve as the backup. Fullback Nate Eachus was also ruled out with a concussion."They will continue with their testing and evaluation and will return when the doctor releases them, and lets us know theyre OK," said Crennel, adding that doctors havent told him how long Quinn might be out.Cassel was scuffling along until he sustained his own concussion a few weeks ago against Baltimore. Quinn took over for a loss to Tampa Bay, and Crennel made the move permanent during the bye week in hopes of igniting a struggling offence.He never got much chance to see whether it worked.Quinn was hurt in the first quarter of Sundays 26-16 loss to the Oakland Raiders, though its unclear when the injury occurred. He was sacked by Rolando McClain and then took another shot while floating a pass that was picked off by Matt Giordano.Quinn left the field and went down the tunnel leading to the locker rooms, and Crennel said a trainer told him at that point that Quinn had sustained a "head injury" and was unavailable.Cassel played the rest of way, completing 20 of 30 passes for 218 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It was the 10th pick that hes thrown in parts of six games this season."Im excited to be playing," Cassel said. "As I said last week, my approach doesnt change. Im going to go out (and) Im going to work hard. Its unfortunate for Brady, but at the same time, we have to move forward. Its a short week. Preparation has to be put in."Cassel, who signed a $63 million, six-year deal in 2009, said he doesnt harbour any ill will toward Crennel over his benching. Cassel also said he doesnt fiind it uncomfortable that hes regained the starting job on a temporary basis almost by default.dddddddddddd"I dont look at it that way," Cassel said. "No matter what my position is, Im going to be the same guy, and I think thats the reason I was able to go in there and execute at a high level Sunday. I was ready and my approach was the same."Cassel said he wasnt sure whether coming off the bench changed his perspective, but his coach indicated that the decision may ultimately help Cassel from a mental standpoint."Sometimes a second chance energizes a guy," Crennel said. "He wants to do well, and whatever role he was in, he didnt like it, but he said, Im going to do my job. Im a Chief, and Im going to be ready if Im called on."The Chiefs (1-6) could certainly use a little energy. Theyve lost four straight overall and still have not led in regulation this season, making them the first NFL team since at least 1940 to play seven games without taking an offensive snap with the lead, according to STATS LLC.Theyve also turned the ball over a league-leading 25 times after four turnovers Sunday.Cassel has responsible for two more on Sunday when he fumbled a snap early in the second half that led to a field goal by Oakland. Hes committed 16 turnovers by himself, which puts him ahead of all but three teams in the league: Dallas, Buffalo and Philadelphia."He knows hes going to have to play, and hes going to do the best he can," Crennel said. "We have to help him as well, and if we all take the same attitude well be successful."Offensive co-ordinator Brian Daboll said it helps, given the short week, that Cassel was the starter when the Chiefs played San Diego earlier this season. Cassel committed three turnovers in the game, but hell be familiar with the Chargers schemes and personnel."Hes preparing himself like a pro to be ready to go in this football game," Daboll said. "Hes got a good attitude, hes taken Brady being put ahead of him well. If you ask him, Im sure hes anxious, excited for the opportu

With the NHL season ready to hit the ice on

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:17:18 +0100

With the NHL season ready to hit the ice on Saturday, a number of junior-eligible players are set to begin their professional careers.Players who were drafted last summer and some in 2011 can play up to five games in the NHL this season before teams must decide whether to send them back to junior or use up the first year of their entry-level contracts.To no ones surprise, first overall pick Nail Yakupov is sticking with the youthful Edmonton Oilers for now. The Russian sniper has been playing on a line with Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky during training camp.In Montreal, second overall pick Alex Galchenyuk, who was a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at this years World Junior Hockey Championship, has been named to the opening roster of the Canadiens and will start Saturdays game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on the second line. He is currently the fifth leading scorer in the Ontario Hockey League, notching 27 goals and 34 assists in only 33 games with the Sarnia Sting.In Minnesota, defenceman Mathew Dumba will open the season with the Wild and could make his debut on Saturday when the Wild host the Colorado Avalanche. Dumba was drafted seventh overall last summer.Mikhail Grigorenko, who has been playing with the Quebec Remparts and picked up six points in seven games for Russia at the World Junior Hockey Championship, has made the cut in Buffalo.In Philadelphia, Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals will do his best to impress general manager Paul Holmgren to earn a full-time spot with the Flyers. And Stefan Matteau, the son of former NHLer Stephane Matteau, is on the final roster of the New Jersey Devils.Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers heads up a group of players who were drafted in 2011 and will start the season in the NHL. That list includes Sven Baertschi of the Calgary Flames, Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets, Dougie Hamilton of the Boston Bruins and Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks. Bryan Anger Jersey For Sale .Ortiz finished the best April of his career with a pair of solo homers, Mike Aviles hit a three-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 11-6 on Monday night. Customized Amini Silatolu Jersey .S. Olympic team because of his free agency.Lin is a restricted free agent, so the New York Knicks can match any offer he receives. http://www.officialpatriotsteamshop.com/autographed-john-hannah-jersey-sz-62.html .Phillips homered and drove in a pair of runs Tuesday night, and Mike Leake pitched seven innings and scored off a dash home on a wild pitch, setting up a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates that moved Cincinnati another step closer to the NL Central title. NFL Brandon Fields Dolphins Jersey .Garnett scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and remained unbeaten against his former team as the Boston Celtics beat the Timberwolves 104-94 on Wednesday night in Rajon Rondos return from a two-game suspension. NFL Vaughn Martin Dolphins Jersey .Toronto lost its first nine matches, but has been a different squad since with an impressive 4-2-4 record in its last 10 games. Although TFC is still sits in last in the Eastern Conference - and the overall table - the playoffs remain a possibility.Happy Monday! Lots to talk about in the NBA. Heres a quick look at a few topics catching my eye around the League.1. MIKE DANTONI (Lakers): I think we were all convinced that it was Phil Jackson once Mike Brown got whacked. I guess Phils demands were a bit much for the Buss family. Ill say this, if DAntoni thought he had pressure in New York coaching the Knicks, taking this job is a totally different ball game altogether, particularly with the fact that youre getting the job and Phil Jackson isnt. Wow. He did a terrific job in Phoenix and not so good in New York and Denver in his other head coaching stints. When he has talent, hes a terrific offensive innovator who puts his guys in excellent spots to succeed. For most coaches, that should be the case. It wasnt the case with Mike Brown, who I like immensely but this wasnt a good fit for him, nor was he for them.There are a few issues for him to deal with: Dwight Howard is a free agent on July 1. They better win; if not, does he want to deal with drama like this over the long-haul? The bench play is lousy; can they get him some help here? DAntonis style of play is predicated on having a bunch of three-point shooters to open the floor up for pick-and-roll options and penetration. Again, can a few shooters be added here to help? Now its on the players to produce and GM Mitch Kupchak to fix some issues. Will be fun to watch.2. SMALL FORWARD SPOT (Raptors): When you look at the 3-spot for this team with close to $11 million locked into Landry Fields and Linas Kleiza, the question has to be asked: are you getting enough return on your investment? Add Alan Anderson and Dominic McGuire to the mix at minimal salaries and the big picture here is the fact that this is still a position that has challenges on this team. Rookie Terrence Ross has lots of potential as one of the wing players in the future. I think you can argue that his ceiling is higher than all of these guys long-term. Is he ready to play major minutes against first-unit players in this league right now? Not so sure particularly after four non-playoff seasons and the attempt to improve and be in the hunt for that last playoff spot. Either way, somehow or some way this spot has to become at least consistent for them to be decent. Right now, injuries (Fields and Anderson) and in the case of Kleizaa (excused family absence) are holding back the development of this spot.ddddddddddddBig challenge here - is there a solution in place? Not sure. Could hold them back. Just be solid, steady and decent, whomever plays.3. JAMAL CRAWFORD (Clippers): Want a guy with pretty good skills who can score for you and still make good plays overall? Then this is your guy. Is he a bit of a gunner? Yes, but he can score. Period. As a second-unit guy he was a good pickup for the Clips. Not sold on him as a starter at this stage of his career but for a team that needs a little veteran scoring punch off the bench, hes not a bad gamble. Hell be a decent guy in the locker room and knows the ins and outs of the league and will be professional. Makes sense to me.New York Jets @ St. Louis Rams Gets suspended for two games and fined for a verbal altercation with Spurs broadcaster Sean Elliott. Is this kid for real? I think hes got immense potential but there comes a point where you just shake your head and wonder, "Will the light ever come on fully?" Someone needs to get to this guy and talk some sense to him (Im sure hes had tons of folks try) and get him to recognize that hes got a chance to have a very good career if he gets it together. I really like his game but Im concerned with his immaturity. If he doesnt get it together, hell be your classic head case that will bounce around from team to team with coaches and GMs taking a chance at him due to his potential, and the chance of lots of folks losing their jobs due to the risk not being worth it. Enough is enough. Grow up, shut up, produce, be professional and help your team turn it around. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.5. CHASE BUDINGER (T-Wolves): Knee Injury. He was playing quite well this season and has good shooting touch as well as very good athletic ability with a solid overall floor game. Tough break. Seemed like an ideal style of play for him playing for coach Rick Adelman and now this. If youre the training staff in Minnesota youre working OT big-time. Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, JJ Barea and Brandon Roy (how much does he have left?) are all injured. This team when healthy has the vibe of a playoff team or at the very least a to

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros have hired

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 06:16:05 +0100

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros have hired David Stearns as assistant general manager.The 27-year-old Stearns was Clevelands director of baseball operations last season. Before joining the Indians, the Harvard graduate spent three seasons working in the commissioners office. He was on the leagues negotiating committee for the collective bargaining agreement that was completed last November, and worked with clubs on contract negotiations and salary arbitration.Before joining the commissioners office, Sterns worked in baseball operations for the New York Mets, the Pirates and the Arizona Fall League.Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow says he was highly recommended and will be an asset to the team. Glenn Dorsey Jerseyfree shipping .Schultz, who made his professional hockey debut in October, recorded a point in each of his first seven games, totalling six goals and 12 points - leading the Barons in scoring. Customized Luke Joeckel Jersey . 11 at Murrayfield.Kelly Brown, Rory Lawson, Jim Hamilton, Kyle Traynor and Ruaridh Jackson were recalled on Wednesday after missing the triumphant summer tour of Australia, Fiji and Samoa, while the seven uncapped players were Edinburghs Stuart McInally and Grant Gilchrist, and Glasgows Alex Dunbar, Peter Horne, Peter Murchie, Tommy Seymour and Henry Pyrgos. http://www.jaguarsteamstoreonline.com/Jaguars-Dwight-Lowery-Nike-Jersey-Ee-87.html .Nelson also said that Nugent-Hopkins will decide by next Monday whether or not he will play for Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship."It is contingent on his health. NFL Seth Joyner Eagles Jersey .Theyre the only mens basketball players from the United States to compete in three Olympics — and with a potential age-limit rule change looming, maybe the last ones. NFL Larry Csonka Dolphins Jersey .Presley injured himself while attempting to make a diving catch in Tuesdays 8-7 victory over Houston. Presley stayed in the game briefly before complaining of neck pain and whiplash.TORONTO -- Ottawas Jason Spezza and Islanders star John Tavares will lead a beefed-up Canada at the Spengler Cup.Hockey Canada has taken full advantage of the lockout, with a choice of NHLers who have gone to Europe to get a game.The Edmonton Oilers have a healthy presence on the Spengler team, with Devan Dubnyk, Sam Gagner, Ben Eager and Ryan Smyth all wearing Canadian colours. Defenceman Cam Barker is a former Oiler.Other NHLers include Bostons Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron, Detroits Carlo Colaiacovo, San Joses Jason Demers and Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Bernier.Seguins played particularly well for Switzerlands EHC Biel, scoring 24 goals with 14 assists in just 27 games.Brett McLean, Kurtis McLean, Pascal Pelletier, Byron Ritchie and Derrick WWalser are all back from the squad that reached the quarter-finals last time out.ddddddddddddThere is plenty of international experience through the Canadian roster.Bergeron and Smith both won gold for Canada at the Olympic Games. Those two and nine others have represented Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.The team is coached by Doug Shedden.Canada opens Boxing Day against German club side Adler Mannheim at the annual tournament in Davos, Switzerland.The other team in Canadas group is HC Davos (Switzerland). The other pool features HC Fribourg-Gotteron (Switzerland), HC Vitkovice Steel (Czech Republic) and Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia).The Canadians

Taylor Hall has been given a clean bill of

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:51:04 +0100

Taylor Hall has been given a clean bill of health and is set to report to the Oklahoma City Barons on Tuesday.He will be on a two-week conditioning stint with the Barons before he gets into game action.The winger, who turns 21 next month, has been recovering from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the final 11 games of the season last year with Edmonton.He will head to the American Hockey League to join fellow Oiler teammates Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.Like Nugent-Hopkins, this will be Halls first taste of the AHL. Both players were drafted first overall and jumped directly to the National Hockey League. NFL Mike Wallace Dolphins Jersey . Price beat Texas for the first time in his career and the Tampa Bay Rays won 5-2 on Sunday night, becoming the first team to take a series from the Rangers this year. Customized Jermaine Cunningham Jersey .The move will reunite Johnson with former manager Mark Hughes, who spent one season in charge at Craven Cottage, while also allowing him to link up with former strike partner Bobby Zamora. http://www.officialravensteamsshop.com/autographed-james-ihedigbo-jersey-cf-72.html .Matt Ryan ran and threw for touchdowns to give Atlanta a double-digit lead in the first half, and the Falcons held on to win 23-16 in Detroit on Sunday. Authentic Cowboys Jersey .The NCAA, as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of March Madness, has released lists of the top players, teams and moments to help fans as they vote for those to be honoured at the Final Four. John Cyprien Jersey For Sale .Indians vice president Bob DiBiasio says Dolan was taken to the hospital Wednesday and will remain there for observation.NEW YORK -- John Lannan knows he cant pitch like Stephen Strasburg. What he can do is compete like the Washington Nationals ace.Lannan pitched five-hit ball over 5 2-3 innings in his first start since replacing Strasburg in Washingtons starting rotation, and the Nationals lowered their magic number for clinching a playoff berth to five with a 2-0 win over the punchless New York Mets on Wednesday night."Its definitely strange. Theres a lot of strange things going on," Lannan said. "Whats going on with Stras, it just hasnt happened before."Ryan Zimmerman homered in the fourth off rookie Matt Harvey (3-5) and Ian Desmond connected off Jon Rauch in the eighth, helping the NL East leaders complete a three-game sweep and open an 8 1/2-game lead over the second-place Braves heading into a three-game series at Atlanta starting Friday. The Nationals are closing in on the capitals first post-season baseball berth since the original Washington Senators in 1933."This was a big series," manager Davey Johnson said. "We need to kind of drive the nail in their coffin over here and come into Atlanta in a good frame of mind."A native of nearby Long Beach, Lannan (3-0) struck out two and walked one in an 81-pitch outing. Lannan, Washingtons opening-day starter in 2009 and 2010, was 9-11 with a 4.30 ERA at Triple-A Syracuse and asked the Nationals to trade him when he was demoted at the end of spring training."It all happened for a reason, I guess," he said. "I just dont look back on it with anger or anything. It just is what it is. It happened, and weve just got to move on."Pitching before about 20 family members and friends, he made his first appearance since a minor league outing on Aug. 30 and improved to 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA in his last six starts against the Mets. Without Strasburgs dominant fastball, the left-handed Lannan relies on changing speeds and control."He earned a lot of respect in this clubhouse," said reliever Sean Burnett, who gave up two hits and got two outs in the ninth -- his first appearance since Sept. 2 following a layoff caused by an irritated nerve in his pitching elbow.Drew Storen came in and retired pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy on a game-ending flyout with runners at the corners for his second save. The surging Nationals have won nine of 11 and 12 of 15.Harvey struck out 10 in five-plus innings, his latest imprressive performance.dddddddddddd New York, however, finished an 0-6 homestand and dropped to 65-78, falling 13 games under .500 for the first time since finishing 2009 at 70-92. The Mets have lost eight of nine overall.They also extended their club-record streak of scoring three runs or fewer to 13 straight home games. They have lost 22 of their last 26 in Queens and have just four wins at Citi Field since the All-Star break -- two fewer than the Nationals."Its frustrating for all 35 guys in that clubhouse, besides the players, and the coaches and the front office," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We set the bar pretty high in April and May. Our club wasnt picked to be very good and we set the bar up there."Right now, we just cannot seem to recreate what happened in April."Washington cut short Strasburgs season last weekend, wanting to protect the 24-year-old right-handers arm following ligament-replacement surgery on Sept. 3, 2010.While the Nationals initially intended to make Wednesdays game his final start of the year, they moved up their timetable because they said the limit was weighing on his mind. Strasburg finished 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts with 197 strikeouts in 159 1-3 innings.Johnson said he might use Strasburg as a pinch-hitter down the stretch. Strasburg is hitting .277 with one homer, four doubles and seven RBIs."If I cant use your arm, Ill use your bat," Johnson said. "Hes pretty bad now but hes going to get worse because hes going to be chomping."Johnson said Strasburg keeps asking pitching coach Steve McCatty about what his routine should be."Of course, hes been pestering Cat about what he can do," Johnson added. "Can I keep throwing off the mound? No. Can I play catch in the outfield? Yes."NOTES: Washington has won eight in a row in Queens and 12 of 13. ... Nationals LF Michael Morse missed the game after he was diagnosed with a torn cuff and a bone bruise in his left wrist. ... Players association head Michael Weiner, undergoing treatment for a brain tumour, was in the Mets clubhouse speaking with players before the game. ... Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 16 games and set a franchise record by driving in a run for the ninth straight game, one more than Larry Walker (1993), Moises Alou (93 and 94) and Vladimir Guerrer

CHESTER, Pa. -- Lionard Pajoy scored in the

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:49:51 +0100

CHESTER, Pa. -- Lionard Pajoy scored in the 67th minute to lead D.C. United to a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Thursday night. D.C. (14-10-5) moved into fourth place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Houston and two ahead of Columbus. Philadelphia (7-14-6) remained ninth in the East, one point behind New England. The Unions stretched their winless streak to eight matches, falling to 0-4-4 since beating the Revolution 2-1 on July 29 -- and have scored just four goals in that span. United scored after Chris Pontius approached the box and drew Union goalie Zac MacMath out of the goal. Pontius passed it to Pajoy, who stopped the ball and sent it into the wide-open net for his seventh goal of the season -- and second since being traded from Philadelphia to D.C. on Aug. 16. Browns Customized jersey . -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed defensive lineman Jeff Charleston to a one-year deal. NFL Matt Moore Dolphins Jersey . -- Los Angeles Angels ace Jered Weaver left his start against the Yankees in the first inning Monday night after just 12 pitches with excruciating lower back pain. http://www.lionsteamstoreonline.com/Lions-Montell-Owens-Nike-Jersey-Ta-18.html .So, Kobe Bryant, when is it time to push the panic button on this grand experiment?"Now," he said.Chris Paul had 18 points and 15 assists, Jamal Crawford scored 21 points and the Clippers beat the Lakers 105-95 Friday night to keep their Staples Center co-tenants winless. Joique Bell Jersey . -- Jason Vargas already had an efficient night -- and his job became that much easier as his defence turned double plays to shorten his outing. Customized Alex Mack Jersey .Nicknamed "Miku," Fedor struck in the 63rd and 71st minutes as Getafe scored five goals in a game for the first time this season.Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo scored from a spectacular overhead kick to give the visitors a 19th-minute lead, but Miguel Torres equalized in the 35th.SAN DIEGO -- Chase Headley drove a ball out of Petco Park for a milestone homer and centre fielder Cameron Maybin made a spectacular leaping catch to keep a ball in.Both of the big plays helped the San Diego Padres beat the NL West champion San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Saturday night.Headley continued his breakout season with a two-run homer, his 30th. He finished with three RBIs to tie Ryan Braun for the NL lead with 112."Its exciting. I think at the end of the year Ill really be able to reflect about it a little bit more," said Headley, whose two-run homer off Madison Bumgarner in the third gave the Padres a 4-3 lead. "You try not to think about it, but when youre right on the doorstep, you want to get over the hump. It was a great feeling when I hit it, and it was an even better feeling coming in the dugout and having all the guys more happy than I was. That was really special."The ball caromed back onto the field and one of the Giants outfielders tossed it into the Padres bullpen. Justin Hatcher, one of the Padres bullpen catchers, gave the ball to Headley."That was awesome," Headley said. "You dont always get the opportunities to get those. You never know if its thats going to be the last one or the best one. Its nice to have those keepsakes."Its San Diegos first 30-homer season since Adrian Gonzalez had 31 in 2010, and the 17th time its been done in team history. Headley also had an RBI grounder in the first and scored three runs.San Franciscos Buster Posey, who started at catcher a night after being hit in the throat with a wild pitch, went 2 for 2 with a walk to raise his average to .337 and increase his lead in the NL batting race over Pittsburghs Andrew McCutchen. McCutcheon went 1 for 5 to drop to .329. Suspended outfielder Melky Cabrera of the Giants has a .346 mark but wont qualify for the batting crown at his own request after a positive drug test.The Padres scored as many runs Saturday night as they did in being outscored 19-7 during a three-game losing streak. Chris Denorfia had three hits and scored twice.San Franciscos Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer off Eric Stults in the first, his 23rd. Pablo Sandoval was aboard on a walk and Posey on a single, both with two outs.Xavier Nady drove Stults next pitch to deep centre field. It would have gone out if not for Maybins leaping to get his glove over the wall for a spectacular leaping catch."I got a really good read on the ball and I was able to get back there and get my steps right," Maybin said. "I was able to one quick little last peek at the wall. It was a huge play and we came back and responded reeally well.dddddddddddd. That play was huge tonight."Maybin made a diving catch of Brandon Belts sinking liner for the second out of the ninth."I got another good read, a really good jump," Maybin said. "Even late in the game, when it seems like the games out of reach, you can never take any plays off. I was a little disappointed how I swung the bat tonight, so I had to take it out on somebody. Why not the other team?"Stults said the first inning could have been ugly if not for Maybins catch and the nice play Headley made at third to throw out leadoff batter Angel Pagan."That really stopped the bleeding. Ive got to give those guys credit," Stults said. "The catch Cam made is probably going to be one of the top 10 plays all season in baseball."San Diego got two runs back in the bottom of the first on Headleys RBI grounder and Yasmani Grandals sacrifice fly.Jesus Guzman and Grandal each drove in two runs for the Padres. Guzman hit a solo homer with two outs in the third and an RBI double in the fifth. Grandal hit an RBI single in the fifth.Stults (8-3) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, struck out five and walked three.Bumgarner (16-11) allowed five runs, four earned, and four hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked two. Bumgarner had won his last four decisions against San Diego, including going 3-0 with a 3.08 ERA in four previous starts against the Padres this season."He was a little off," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It affected his command. He was battling himself out there. He might be thinking about it too much."Bumgarner, who has struggled since the end of August, said he had a problem with his mechanics."We definitely have some time to work on it," he said. "Im not worried about anything. I have to be able to make pitches when it counts."San Franciscos Marco Scutaro singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games, the longest active streak in the majors.NOTES: Posey was replaced by Eli Whiteside starting the bottom of the sixth. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Posey was sore and his voice was raspy after being shaken up Friday night when a pitch from Ryan Vogelsong bounced in the dirt, ricocheted up and hit right underneath his hockey-style catchers mask. Bochy said Posey is scheduled to have Sunday off, as are a number of other players. ... The series concludes Sunday when Tim Lincecum (10-15, 5.15) is scheduled to start opposite San Diegos Edinson Volquez (11-11, 4.13). Lincecum is coming off a 7-2 loss to Arizo

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:48:39 +0100

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots released receiver Chad Ochocinco on Thursday, cutting loose the six-time Pro Bowl selection after one season in which he was more active on Twitter than on the field. "Thoroughly enjoyed the oppurtunity to play for the Patriot organization... fans were ... wicked awesome, I wish all of you the best," he tweeted at about the same time the team was announcing he had been released. "Im healthy n living life, Ill be fine," he wrote on Twitter, where he had changed his job description to "UNEMPLOYED BLACK GUY" and posed a photo of himself sitting on a suitcase at the airport, hitchhiking. Ochocinco, 34, played in 15 games in his only season with the Patriots, starting three and catching 15 passes for 276 yards. He caught one pass in the Super Bowl as New England lost 21-17 to the New York Giants. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he is "in the process of gauging interest from potential teams." During the playoffs, Patriots coach Bill Belichick described Ochocinco as a hard worker who "made a very good effort to do everything weve asked him to do on and off the field." Ochocinco said the shift from star receiver to barely contributing role player was a struggle. But it paid off with his first trip to the Super Bowl -- as a player, not as a gadfly asking questions on media day to those actually participating in the game. "Im happy, but the competitive side of me is (angry). Does that make sense?" he said before the team left for Indianapolis. "I handled myself with the utmost professionalism. I busted my (butt), didnt pout. Thats what I do: Give me the rock! But I didnt do what people thought I would do. Even I thought I was going to do it." Drafted in the second round by Cincinnati from Oregon State, Ochocinco spent 10 seasons with the Bengals and reached the Pro Bowl five straight years from 2003-07 and again in 09. He was the first player in NFL history to lead the conference in receiving four consecutive years. But Ochocinco -- who changed his name from Chad Johnson as a nod to his uniform number, 85 -- was perhaps better known for his antics that sometimes annoyed his teammates, coaches -- and even commissioner Roger Goodell, whom he called "Dad." He predicted victories, sent gifts to opposing locker rooms and invited fans to help him think up new end zone antics. His touchdown celebrations -- using a pylon as a golf club, performing CPR on the football, doing a jig, donning a Hall of Fame jacket -- led to repeated fines and an NFL crackdown. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis grew so frustrated that he once called him "Ocho Psycho." Ochocinco also appeared as a contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" and hosted a cable dating show. Under the guise of the online Ochocinco News Network, he attended the Super Bowl as a reporter for two years, asking questions of the teams during media sessions and even grilling Goodell last year on the prospects of avoiding a lockout. Last month, he posted online an open letter to Goodell to support the commissioner in the wake of Junior Seaus suicide, writing "no one is showing any support, I figured I would be the first." In his career, Ochocinco has caught 766 passes for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns. Customized Morten Andersen Jersey .And with the NHL now in a lockout, its unlikely hell be getting contract offers any time soon."(The long wait) is something that can be frustrating, because the unrestricted free agent market is a lot smaller this summer because of the lockout," said McArdle, a 25-year-old Toronto native who grew up in Burnaby, B. Customized Torrey Smith Jersey .ca!Kerry,Having seen so many NHL games whilst in NHL cities (especially my Sharks), I have always wanted to know at what point in the game do the calls become more lenient. http://www.officialravensteamsshop.com/autographed-anthony-allen-jersey-wu-88.html .Alabama (11-1) and Georgia (11-1) were both No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the poll last week and remained in the same positions following blowout wins against rivalry opponents. The pair will square off next Saturday in Atlanta in the SEC title game in what amounts to a de facto national semifinal. Customized Tyson Alualu Jersey .After an uninspired effort in Game One, the New Jersey Devils were better in the second game of the series, outshooting the Devils 30-21 in regulation, but when the game reached overtime, the Kings took control. Bill Bentley Jersey .Park, of Korea, was eliminated for leaving the blocks early. Although his times were not released, it is likely that the disqualification allowed Cochrane, of Victoria, to qualify for his first 400m freestyle Olympic final.SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs have won four NBA championships, made 32 playoff appearances and captured 18 division titles in their 40-year history.Yet for all their success, they had never opened a season with four straight victories.Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the Spurs finally did so Monday night, rolling past the Indiana Pacers 101-79 to remain unbeaten."Im surprised were still doing records," Parker said. "It seems like we did everything, but thats another one. Thats great."Its an unprecedented start for San Antonio, albeit one that left players scratching their heads."Its just a stat, not that important in the long-term," Manu Ginobili said. "(But) at this point we are enjoying it. Its curious that a team this successful hasnt started that well before."The Spurs upended the Pacers (2-2) with what has become a familiar formula in recent years -- a little Parker, a little Duncan and a lot off the bench.Gary Neal scored 17 points, DeJuan Blair 14 and Stephen Jackson 12 to pace San Antonios reserves. The Spurs outscored the Pacers bench 57-35."Thats kind of been our motto," Neal said. "With Manu coming off and Stephen Jackson, those guys could be starting on any team in the NBA. We are a deep team. Weve just got to maintain effort when the bench comes in."Duncan added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Parker finished with six points, seven assists and only one turnover.Former Spurs guard George Hill led Indiana with 15 points. Paul George added 14 points and David West had 10.The Spurs needed a boost from their bench after a sluggish start.Both teams aggressively defended the point early, resulting in a combined 4-for-16 shooting from the field in the first 5 minutes.The Spurs then scored nine straight points to take a 14-9 lead after sharing the ball more. Boris Diaw capped the run with a layup off a bounce pass from Parker with 5 minutes left in the first quarter.Parker later fed a cutting Ginobili, who made aa tip pass to Blair for a layup with 1 second left in the first quarter for a 26-18 lead.dddddddddddd"We moved the ball well," Ginobili said. "Gary was impressive today. But yeah, we changed the tempo of the game. We did good -- much better than the last game."Parker had three of the teams seven assists in the first quarter.Parker sat for 9 minutes in the second period after playing the entire first. With the All-Star point guard on the bench, Jackson and Neal combined for nine points in an 11-0 run that gave the Spurs a 37-18 lead to open the second.Indiana did not surpass 20 points until West dunked off an offensive rebound with 7 minutes left in the first half.West kept the Pacers in contention, scoring all 10 of his points in the second quarter while going 4 for 5 from the field. His 23-foot jumper cut San Antonios lead to 47-38 at halftime.The Spurs maintained a double-digit lead for nearly all of the second half.The Pacers shot just 35 per cent for the game. San Antonio forced 14 turnovers in the second half."Their continuity is evident just watching them play," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "Thirteen of their 14 guys were here last year and their core guys have been here for many years winning championships. Its a system they are familiar with. They are a well-oiled machine and they play extremely hard on both sides of the court."NOTES: Indiana forward Danny Granger missed his fourth game with a sore left knee. Granger is out indefinitely. ... Former Indiana Pacers point guard Haywoode Workman was among the game officials. Workman played for the Pacers from 1993-99 and spent parts of four other seasons with three other clubs. His final season in the NBA was 2000 with the Toronto Raptors. ... Hill received a loud ovation during pregame introductions. ... Parker went flying over the first row of courtside seats while chasing down a loose ball in the second half. He landed partially on Ed Whitacre, bending the eyeglass frame of the former CEO of General Mo

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Hennie Otto

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:47:25 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Hennie Otto and Jbe Kruger reached 9 under Friday to share the clubhouse lead at the Malaysian Open before the second round was suspended two hours early because of a threat of thunderstorms.The pair continued the strong play of South Africans established by Charl Schwartzel with a 64 and Louis Oosthuizen 66 in the first round.Former Masters champion Schwartzel had five bogeys and one birdie on Friday to drop to 5 under through 12 holes before the players were taken off the West Course at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.Two birdies from Oosthuizen in the same 12 holes allowed him to reach 8 under and he was one shot off the lead.Otto shot a second-round 64 to move to the top of the clubhouse leaderboard with eight birdies despite arriving in Malaysia too late to play a practice round."I played the course blind on Thursday," he said. "But today I hit it close for most of my birdies and got on in two at all the par 5s except the 18th to lay the foundations of my score."On this course if you can get under par on all of the par 5s and build from there, you can make a score and I managed to do that."After he shot a 65, Kruger said there was a friendly rivalry between all the South Africans in the event."I think we have all of us South Africans have some into this tournament with a bit of form," he said. "It is not a case of giving Charl or Louis a run for their money it is just fun to be in contention."Martin Kaymer moved within two shots of the lead with a second-round 67."I played really well today and gave myself a lot of birdie chances," Kaymer said. "If I can make a few more putts, I feel I can really get into the tournament. I will be a few shots behind after today so I will approach tomorrow a bit more aggressively." NFL Fletcher Cox Eagles Jersey .As reported on Twitter by Marc-Antoine Godin, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin has told USA Hockey assistant executive director of hockey operations Jim Johannson that he will not pull their top prospect from Ufa if camp gets under way with a new collective bargaining agreement. Customized Aaron Dobson Jersey . But how? What had changed from one week to the next? Or is that the Ticats defence is just that average at stopping the run? When you consider the Stampeders started a right tackle in JMichael Deane who had previously only played right tackle during his years at Michigan State, and a left guard in Spencer Wilson who was making his first pro start after coming from the Calgary Colts junior football program in Alberta, 170 yards is a lot. http://www.jaguarsteamstoreonline.com/Jaguars-Josh-Scobee-Nike-Jersey-Xz-95.html .The former Chelsea goalkeeper ends a three-year spell at Spurs, where he made 37 appearances after struggling to establish himself as a first-team regular. Mike DeVito Jerseyfree shipping .The pitcher has signed a minor league contract with Miami and will compete for the fifth spot in its rotation. Customized Joe Adams Jersey .The Penguins coach felt uneasy as he saw that his club held a sizable advantage in shots, but was still tied with the Carolina Hurricanes through two periods.Free agent winger Ray Whitney has signed a two-year, $9 million with the Dallas Stars. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus on top of a $4 million annual salary as well as a modified no-trade clause.The 40-year-old Whitney has played the past two seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. He tallied 24 goals and 77 points in 82 games last season befoore helping the Coyotes to the Western Conference Final in the playoffs.dddddddddddd Drafted in the second round in 1991, Whitney has accumulated 365 goals and 1003 points in his 20 seasons in the NHL with seven different teams. A second-team NHL al

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons general manager

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:46:13 +0100

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has won the Jack Horrigan Award from the Professional Football Writers of America for co-operation with the media.Dimitroff is cited for being accommodating to the media, both locally and nationally.Says PFWA vice-president D. Orlando Ledbetter, who covers the Falcons for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "He made himself available to local and national members before the Julio Jones trade was announced to explain the teams rationale. Once the lockout was over, he provided access through the frenzied start of training camp and the free agency period to our members. This accessibility continued throughout the season and into the playoffs."The award is named for Horrigan, a sportswriter for UPI and the Buffalo Evening News, public relations director for the American Football League (1963-66) and vice-president of public relations for the Buffalo Bills (1966-73). Customized Sebastian Vollmer Jersey .Top prospect Dhiego "Maluco" Lima (6-2) will battle newly signed Nick "The Juggernaut" Hinchliffe (19-8) in a matchup that could potentially set up the next leading contender to challenge reigning MFC welterweight champ Nathan "Soul Force" Coy. NFL Dimitri Patterson Dolphins Jersey .J. -- The New York Jets have signed wide receiver Raymond Webber and waived linebacker Matthias Berning. http://www.chiefsteamstoreonline.com/Chiefs-Rodney-Hudson-Nike-Jersey-Fw-42.html . "Team B" went on a spending spree adding an MVP candidate at shortstop, a top-notch starting pitcher and a blue chip closer. Team A kept its payroll in the $70 to $80 million range. Customized Haruki Nakamura Jersey . This week, they discuss the triumph of Alex Zanardi, the crowded Eskimos backfield, the outburst by Oscar Pistorius and head protection for pitchers. Customized Justin Tucker Jersey .J. -- Mike Pouncey took his turn at firing up the back-and-forth banter between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors have signed first-round pick Harrison Barnes.The team announced Tuesday that the former North Carolina small forward signed his rookie contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Considered the top recruit in the country when he left his Iowa high school for North Carolina two years ago, Barnes led the Tar Heeels with 17.dddddddddddd1 points per game and also grabbed 5.2 rebounds last season. The Warriors drafted the 6-foot-8 small forward seventh overall last week.The 20-year-old Barnes is expected to compete with Dorell Wright for the starting small forward spot. Barnes also is planning to play for the

Reasons to Believe1. Trust In Defence – The

xiaozhu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 05:45:00 +0100

Reasons to Believe1. Trust In Defence – The Jets have had a top five defence the past three years under Ryan and theres no reason to expect anything but another year near the top for that unit. All three position groups are solid and the cherry on top is Darrelle Revis deciding to forego his rumoured holdout and showing up to training camp on time.2. Strong Blocking – There are certainly some questions at quarterback for the Jets, but at least the five players charged with protecting the quarterback will give him a chance. With DBrickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold leading the way, the O-line is a top unit, with right tackle being the lone question mark.3. Rebirth of Maybin – After the Vernon Gholston nightmare, it seemed odd the Jets were willing to give another first-round bust, former Bill Aaron Maybin, a chance. The risk paid off as Maybin, who had zero sacks in two years in Buffalo, picked up six as a Jet. Reports have the defence looking revitalized heading into 2012, and Maybin could be spurred on to improve his sack numbers even further.Reasons to Doubt1. Tebow Time – Tim Tebow will be an asset as a running quarterback in certain packages and possibly on special teams as well. But his detriment comes from his popularity. The second Mark Sanchez shows any signs of struggling, Jets fans will be screaming for Tebow, and the young Sanchez may struggle more trying to tune them out.2. Circus Atmosphere – The possible quarterback controversy is part of a bigger circus atmosphere Ryan has cultivated in New York. The Jets are full of talented personalities, perhaps none bigger than Ryan himself, but with a collection of characters theres always the chance of a meltdown. It happened last year and there were even signs of chemistry issues with the team throughout training camp.3. Wide Margins – CB Antonio Cromartie proclaimed himself the teams second best receiver near the start of training camp. While it probably wasnt a good idea to make his thoughts public, Cromartie may have been on to something. Behind Santonio Holmes on the depth chart is inconsistent second-rounder Stephen Hill and a number of less than impressive veterans.What to ExpectThe Jets have the talent to earn a Wildcard spot in the AFC, but there will be more challenges to second place in their division than in previous years. With the Bills improving and looking ready to contend for the post-season, combined with a possible season long distraction stemming from the quarterback position, the Jets could find themselves falling just short for a second straight year. Ravens jersey .As assistant coach with the mens national team, Tony Fonseca literally had a front-row seat on Canadas humiliating exit from World Cup qualifying last month in Honduras. Montell Owens Jersey . They acquired a new catcher, very possibly annoyed a catcher they already had, and wound up with a doubleheader split. http://www.officialpatriotsteamshop.com/autographed-brandon-bolden-jersey-gz-65.html .ca NFL Editor Justin Boone runs down the top waiver wire pickups with a focus on the coming week and the rest of the season. Customized Lance Moore Jersey .S. Anti-Doping Agency report that paints the American as a longtime drug cheat.The UCI received USADAs 200-page report last week and has until the end of the month to decide whether to ratify USADAs decision to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour victories or appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Customized Amini Silatolu Jersey .Steven Stamkos and P.K. Subban are scheduled to lead teams of locked-out NHLers during a charity game on Dec.DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford stayed cool and calm after the shakiest first half of his career.Stafford threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Smith with 10 seconds left, lifting the Detroit Lions to a 27-23 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.The No. 1 pick from the 2009 NFL draft had three interceptions before halftime for the first time.The Rams scored 13 points off Staffords turnovers, including Cortland Finnegans 31-yard return for a TD that gave them a 13-7 lead late in the first half, but they couldnt stop him in the end.Stafford led an 80-yard, nine-play, game-winning drive that included three passes of at least 18 yards and was capped by enough patience in the pocket to connect with a wide-open Smith."Kevin was the last option on that play, probably behind throw it away because he was part of the play action and protection," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "The head coach was on the headphones, Throw it away Matt, throw it away! It shows you what a good quarterback Id be."Stafford finished 32 of 48 for 355 yards.Detroits All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson caught six passes for 111 yards, including an 18-yard grab just before Smith was left alone for his second TD of the game. On the pivotal play, the Rams double-covered Johnson and linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar seemed to lose sight of Smith."I knew in that formation Calvin would get all of the attention," Stafford said. "Thats exactly what happened."Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick a year after Stafford, directed a go-ahead drive that set up Greg Zuerleins 46-yard field goal to put the Rams ahead 23-20 with 1:55 left.St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher, who is leading a franchise coming off the worst five-year span since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, put together a conservative game plan that almost worked."Our plan was to try to hold them to field goals ... and then take your shots offensively," Fisher said. "Get your points and have a chance to win the game at the end."Bradford was hit by defensive end Cliff Avril on the games last play, leading to some pushing, shoving and shouting that didnt get out of hand in part because the officials separated the players. The replacement officials included line judge Shannon Eastin, who became the first woman to officiate an NFL regular-season game.Steven Jackson gained just 53 yards on 21 carries for an offence that couldnt take enough time off the clock on its next-to-last drive to prevent Stafford from getting the ball back."Give the Lions credit, they made the big plays they neededd at the end of the game," Finnegan said.dddddddddddd "We did some really good things, but weve got to learn how to finish. That will come."St. Louis reshaped offensive line lost two starters during the game. Offensive tackle Rodger Saffold was carted off the field with a neck injury in the fourth quarter and centre Scott Wells had a foot injury.Fisher said Saffold was alert and had strength in his arms and legs."This is more of a precautionary deal," Fisher said. "Theres a chance hell come home with us."Bradford was 17 of 25 for 198 yards with a TD, a 23-yard pass to Brandon Gibson early in the fourth quarter that put the Rams up 20-13."We gave ourselves a chance to stay in the game and win it at the end," Fisher said. "I think we got better as a team."Early on, it looked like Stafford had taken a step back after throwing for 5,000-plus yards, 41 TDs and 16 interceptions last season to help Detroit end an 11-year post-season drought.Rookie Janoris Jenkins jumped a route and intercepted Staffords pass on the goal line to end his first drive, Dunbar stepped in front of another attempt and picked it off. Finnegan took advantage of an ill-advised throw across the field and returned it for a TD in his Rams debut."We did a ton of film study on Stafford, and we knew what he likes to do," Finnegan said. "Our coaches gave us a great game plan ... We just needed to make one more play."Stafford, though, was the one who came up with the clutch plays to avoid an upset in the opener for both teams."It wasnt like he was just having a bad day," Schwartz said. "He had a couple of bad plays."You have to have a demeanour that allows you to come back from that."NOTES: Replacement official Paul Caldera left the game in the third quarter with an apparent leg injury. He was replaced by alternate Curtis -- a replacement for the replacement. ... Detroit WR Titus Young was called for unnecessary roughness after he head-butted Jenkins. "It was right in front of me the whole time," Schwartz said. "It looked like he was going to walk away and do the right thing and then he made a dumb decision." ... Fisher hired Schwartz in 1999 to be on his staff at Tennessee and promoted him two years later to the Titans defensive co-ordinator, a job he had until Detroit gave him his first shot to be a head coach three years ago. ... Lions rookie CB Bill Bentley left the game with a concussion. ... St.