User blogs
A week before his light heavyweight title defence at UFC 172, Jon Jones told TSN. Mark Trumbo Orioles Jersey .ca that one of the most exciting parts of his career is "just breaking records, you know?" After his dominating victory over Glover Teixeira in Baltimore to retain his title for a record seventh time, its time to take a look at what the Rochester native has accomplished and ask, is he the best ever? With the win over Teixeira, Jones took sole possession atop the light heavyweight division with 14 wins in the modern 205-pound era. It was his 11th straight win, also a division record and tied for third longest in UFC history behind former middleweight champion Anderson Silva (16) and former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (12). No other light heavyweight champion has ever successfully defended the belt seven times. Only Silva (12) and St-Pierre (9) have more. Jones landed 138 significant strikes on Teixeira, the most ever in a light heavyweight title fight, and with 824 for his career he passed former champ Forrest Griffin (796) for the most in division history. Jones stuffed all five of Teixeiras takedown attempts, bringing his career takedown defence rate to 96.6% (28 of 29), which is the best percentage of any UFC fighter with a minimum of 20 opponent takedown attempts. And if the numbers arent enough, watching him pick apart opponent after opponent says it all. UFC president Dana White told reporters at the post-fight press conference that Jones "never looked better than he did tonight." And thats saying something for a guy who has beaten five former champions and whose only loss is a disqualification for illegal elbows. "I think it was the best performance of his career," White said. "Jones, I think that if he didnt prove it in the (Alexander) Gustafsson fight, he definitely proved it in this fight -- Jones has a chin. He evolves every time he fights, he comes out and puts on a clinic and does new things." With each demolition - save for the five-round war with Gustafsson at UFC 165 - Jones continues to set new standards in his division and the UFC. With all the legends that have graced the octagon over the years, is Jon Jones the greatest of them all? As always, its Your! Call. Frank Robinson Orioles Jersey . Right-hander Todd Redmond took the loss. Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the spring. Here are a handful of tidbits from around camp: Hutchison impressive The Blue Jays are being cautious when talking about their young arms but internally, excitement is building over the way Drew Hutchison is looking and performing this spring. Frank Robinson Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. MINNEAPOLIS -- Hours after trading Vidal Nuno to Arizona for Brandon McCarthy and cutting outfielder Alfonso Soriano, the New York Yankees took a nine-run lead by the fourth inning and seemed set for a laugher at Target Field. The game ended with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. Jacoby Ellsbury homered, doubled and drove in four runs as Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 9-7 Sunday after their roster shakeup and moved back above .500 at 44-43. "Sometimes you cant really pinpoint it, but we like where were at right now," Ellsbury said. "Hopefully keep it rolling." Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki each had three hits for the Yankees, who have won 14 of 18 overall at Target Field. Jeters ninth-inning single made him the eighth player to reach 3,400 hits. "We pay a little bit of attention, but I dont think he pays too close attention to it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Obviously, hes going to end up way up there in record books. He pays more attention to wins, and thats what we worry about." New York took three of four from the Twins after losing nine of its previous 11. The 38-year-old Soriano is in the final year of a $136 million, eight-year contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs, who traded him last summer to the Yankees, where he began his big league career. He was hitting .221 this season with six homers and 23 RBIs in 67 games. New York has 10 days to trade Soriano or place him on unconditional waivers. "Hes a guy thats used to playing every day," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Wasnt every day for him. Maybe it was harder for him to get going, not sure. Im sure hes extremely disappointed." New York catcher Brian McCann returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a sore foot and doubled home Jeter in the first. Ellsburys three-run homer off Ricky Nolasco (5-7) capped a four-run burst in the second that made it 6-0. Hiroki Kuroda (6-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings, his poorest outing since mid-June. Minnesotta closed with four runs in the fourth, and one in each of the last three innings. Jonathan Schoop Orioles Jersey. After Oswaldo Arcias two-out RBI single pulled the Twins within two runs and left runners at the corners, David Robertson got Kurt Suzuki to hit a grounder to shortstop, where Jeter threw to second baseman Brian Roberts for the final out. Robertson got his 21st save in 23 chances. Jeter drove in two runs in his last scheduled game at Minnesota, although hes expected back later this month for the All-Star game. Nolasco lasted a season-low two innings as Minnesota lost for the 10th time in 13 games. "They hit everything he threw up there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We got to go better than that. He did nothing for us today. He didnt give us a chance." Trevor Plouffe had an RBI double in the fourth and Chris Colabello followed with a two-run homer, his second home run in three games since his recall from the minors. Plouffe added a solo home run in the eighth. "Cant keep getting behind like this. It just gets back to that," Gardenhire said. "Its the starting pitching. Its not about anything other than that. Weve been struggling scoring runs. We finally put some on the board. But you start a game 6-0, thats no way to play baseball." NOTES: Twins OF Byron Buxton, among the top prospects in the minors, played his first game with Class A Fort Myers after being sidelined with a sprained left wrist. Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said Buxton will play centre field and get two or three at-bats as he works his way back. ... RHP Bruce Billings, recalled Sunday from from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, appears set to start Monday at Cleveland in place of Nuno. He pitched in one game for New York this season, allowing four runs in four innings on April 25 against the Los Angeles Angels. RHP Justin Masterson (4-5, 5.16) starts for the Indians. ... Minnesota will start RHP Kevin Correia (4-10, 4.94) when it plays at Seattle on Monday. The Mariners will use RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (6-4, 3.33). Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
TORONTO -- NBA players might be enemies on the court, but they are united off it. Kyle Schwarber Cubs Jersey . Thats why the Toronto Raptors say theyll make a gesture of support for the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night over the Donald Sterling controversy. "Were united. . . Youve got to respect that," said Raptors all-star DeMar DeRozan. "Thats the great thing about us. Society is not in that place anymore. You see guys from all different cultures, all different parts of the country, different parts of the world all coming together as one. Comments like that are uncalled for." The Raptors will join a chorus of support from around the league when they host Brooklyn in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference series at the Air Canada Centre. Sterling, the longtime Clippers owner, was banned for life by the NBA on Tuesday in response to racist comments he made. DeRozan wouldnt specify what the Raptors silent protest might entail, but it will likely be similar to Miamis. On Monday night, the Heat ran out of the tunnel in their warmups, huddled at centre court and tossed their white jerseys to the ground. They wore their red warmup shirts inside out, hiding the team logo. Sterlings comments outraged players around the league when the story broke last Saturday. The Raptors were in Brooklyn between Games 3 and 4, and the story was the topic of conversation during the teams bus ride to practice. "We live in a society where were much past that," DeRozan said. "From the comments that Sterling said, were much bigger than that. The game came a long way and society came a long way to take three steps back." Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry said the NBA "is a brotherhood." "Its not many of us, its a fraternity, we all support each other," Lowry said. "Thats what makes the NBA and professional sports so special. . . on the floor were enemies but off the floor were all brothers." NBA commissioner Adam Silver also fined Sterling US$2.5 million, in the first moves toward forcing a sale of the Clippers and permanently removing Sterling from the league. DeRozan said that nothing less than Sterlings removal is enough, adding players cant feel comfortable playing for an owner like him. The Raptors were among numerous teams that chimed in with their support of their league commissioner. "As a proud member of the National Basketball Association, we stand strongly in our belief that the comments attributed to Mr. Sterling have no place in our society or sport," the team said in a statement. "Our organization will always work to contribute to a culture of diversity and acceptance in this league and fully support the actions taken today." Raptors coach Dwane Casey said it was unfair to question players about the controversy while theyre in the midst of the playoffs. "Its unbelievable that someone would say that in 2014," Casey said of Sterling. He added: "For me to have to stand here and talk about this when we have a game (Wednesday) night speaks for itself. Im consumed with (Wednesday) night, but still, what happened last week is real and affects all of us." The Raptors and Nets are tied with two wins apiece in the best-of-seven series. The series heads back to Brooklyn for Game 6 on Friday. Game 7, if necessary, will be in Toronto on Sunday.Munenori Kawasaki Authentic Jersey . In fact, with a few improvements, this could very well be a decent team over the next few seasons. I will go into more detail when digging into the Canucks Off-Season Game Plan, which will be coming earlier this year since they are part of the non-playoff contingent, there are some reasons to think this is a favourable situation for President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden and whomever he selects to be the new general manager. Kerry Wood Authentic Jersey .com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown.STOCKTON, Calif. -- Canadian Kevin Pangos had 18 points, Drew Barham matched his career high with 17 points off the bench, and Gonzaga beat Pacific 70-53 on Thursday night to clinch the outright West Coast Conference regular season title. It was the perfect bounce-back game for the Bulldogs, (24-6, 14-3 WCC), who will head into the conference tournament as the top seed for the 11th time in coach Mark Fews 15 seasons. Gonzaga had lost back-to-back games to BYU and San Diego and fell out of the Top 25 before blowing out the Tigers in their first visit to the Northern California campus in more than 35 years. The Bulldogs led by as much as 23 despite a slow night from leading scorer Sam Dower Jr. and got enough scoring off the bench to make up for the slack. T.J. Wallace had nine points and four rebounds for Pacific (14-14, 5-12). The Bulldogs led nearly the entire game and had no problem putting away the Tigers in their first visit to the Pacific campus since Dec. 23, 1976. That took Gonzaga out of a must-win situation heading into Saturdays regular-season finale at St. Marys. Pangos, held to 17 points combined in the losses to BYU and San Diego, had 15 points in the first half, and the Holland Landing, Ont., native repeatedly sped past Pacifics defence for easy buckets. He had nine points as part of a 13-0 run when Gonzaga took the lead for good, then helped keep the Bulldogs comfortably ahead in the second half. TThat helped offset a slow night from 7-foot-1 centre Przemek Karnowski. Carlos Zambrano Cubs Jersey. Karnowski spent much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble and injured his right foot six minutes into the second half. Gonzagas big man returned and finished with nine points and nine rebounds. Dower Jr., the Bulldogs leading scorer, was also slowed by fouls and had just six points. Gonzaga had no problem picking up the defensive slack and forced 16 turnovers -- 10 in the first half -- and got a big lift from Barham off the bench. Barham made four 3-pointers to keep the Bulldogs rolling. He scored eight consecutive points to push the Bulldogs lead to 64-43 in the second half. Pacific, which matched its longest losing streak of the season at four, couldnt keep up. Playing before their largest crowd since 2005, the Tigers got off to a sluggish start then briefly took the lead midway through the first half before losing to Gonzaga for the fifth time in six meetings between the two schools. It marked the fourth straight game Pacific has been held under 60 points. Gonzaga held Pacific scoreless for the first five minutes but led only 12-11 after Karnowski picked up his second foul midway through the first half. Pangos scored on three quick layups and made a trio of free throws as part of a 13-0 run that put Gonzaga up for good. He later added a pair of threes that helped the Bulldogs go up 40-28 at halftime. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
PITTSBURGH -- Chris Davis had been searching since spring training for the power stroke that produced 53 home runs last season. Patrick Patterson Jersey . It reappeared in a big way Tuesday night as Davis hit three home runs, doubling his season total, and drove in five runs to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. Davis hit a two-run blast during a four-run fifth inning off Francisco Liriano (0-4) that put the Orioles ahead 6-1. He hit a solo shot in the seventh off Jared Hughes and two-run homer in the ninth off Jeanmar Gomez. It was Davis second career three-homer game - the other came on Aug. 24, 2012 against Toronto - and seventh multi-homer game. After leading the major leagues and setting a franchise record for homers last season, Davis hit three in his first 30 games. Davis was on the disabled list with a strained left oblique from April 26-May 11, an injury that had sapped his power. His frustration reached a boiling point Sunday when he went 0-for-4 in a loss to the Royals at Kansas City. "I felt like I just had some good pitches to hit and I rolled over everything, so I got here early today and worked on some stuff in early (batting practice)," said Davis, who also singled in the fourth inning. "It just sometimes clicks for you and today was one of those days." "Even in spring training, there were some at-bats where I would feel good and have good results, but I just didnt feel like I was right and then obviously with the injury, missing some time coming back, my timing was all screwed up." Nelson Cruz also homered, following Davis shot in the fifth, to give the Orioles their second set of back-to-back homers of the season. Adam Jones had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Miguel Gonzalez (2-3) pitched six innings for Baltimore, allowing two runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. "It was a great night to be out there as a pitcher," Gonzalez said. "A lot of run support and a lot of great defence." Liriano (0-4) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings for Pittsburgh and is now winless in 13 consecutive regular-season starts since last Sept. 10 at Texas. "I was leaving too many pitches over the middle of the plate," Liriano said. "I was missing my spots a lot and I couldnt repeat two good pitches in a row. I wasnt executing my pitches with men on base and the bases empty." Ike Davis homered for the Pirates, his second in 27 games since being acquired from the New York in a trade on April 18, in the seventh inning. Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen had two hits each. Baltimore won for third time in nine games while Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in eight games. NOTES: Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy threw 18 pitches in an extended spring training game Tuesday at Sarasota, Florida, the first time the organizations top prospect had faced hitters from another organization since undergoing Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery last June. ... Baltimore C Matt Wieters, on the disabled list with a strained right elbow, said he is feeling considerably better after having a platelet-rich plasma injection last week and should be activated long before the projected date of July 1. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte returned to the lineup after a strained left hamstring forced him to leave the second game of Sundays doubleheader against the Yankees at New York and went 0-for-4. ... The Orioles are 18-9 in night games but 6-11 in the day. ... The two-game series concludes on Wednesday night with Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman (4-2, 3.34) facing Pittsburgh LHP Wandy Rodriguez (0-2, 6.84). Tracy Mcgrady Raptors Jersey . The Wild, playing their first game since leading scorer Mikko Koivu broke his ankle Saturday at Washington, have won three straight for the first time since Nov. 1-5. Koivu underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss at least four weeks. DeMar DeRozan Jersey . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.Winnipeg, MB - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed safety Maurice Leggett to a contract extension through the 2017 season. Leggett tied for second in the league with five interceptions, added three fumble recoveries and two sacks while making 65 tackles in his first season with the Bombers. Maurice came in early and established himself as a real pro, said Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters on Monday. It was evident quickly that he could be an impact player for us, and his play spoke to that throughout the season. Tracy Mcgrady Jersey. Hes an all-around good asset for our organization and were very happy to get him under contract for the next three seasons. Leggett also returned a missed field goal 114 yards for a touchdown in an October game against Ottawa and was selected as the Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player of 2014.Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
VAL DISERE, France -- Lindsey Vonn felt her injured right knee give way, and for a moment it looked like her chances for another Olympic gold might be in jeopardy again. Scooter Gennett Jersey . Vonn had another scary moment at Saturdays World Cup downhill in Val dIsere, ending up clutching her knee in pain after losing her balance and missing a gate. But she gave a reassuring answer shortly afterward, saying no new damage had been done to the surgically repaired knee, and that her plans for the Sochi Olympics were still intact. "I didnt hurt myself more than Im already hurt," said Vonn, the reigning Olympic downhill champion. "It was a small compression, and it was fully loaded on the right ski and my knee just completely gave out. I tried to pressure the ski again and it gave out again. I had no chance of making that gate, unfortunately." With boyfriend Tiger Woods watching from the bottom of the slope, Vonn skied out after her left ski came up in the air, putting all her weight on the troublesome right leg. The American was clearly distressed after pulling up and looked close to tears as she clutched her knee. Vonn needed surgery in February to reconstruct two knee ligaments after a crash at the world championships, and then partially re-tore one of them in November. She said she will now give herself plenty of rest and expects to race again "probably sometime in January" as she follows a light program before the Olympics. "As much as time as I can give myself to really get as strong as I can, like I said, one maybe two races before the Olympics. Thats it," Vonn said. "Im going to play it safe and race minimal races, so I can get the confidence and the timing and the feeling of racing again. Im really going to be safe and smart as I can." Woods accompanied Vonn to a World Cup race for the first time, wearing light blue jeans, a ski coat, grey ski hat and dark glasses as he stood in the finish area and watched one racer after another go down. "Hes very supportive and its very fun to have him. This is his first World Cup and I think he enjoyed it," Vonn said. "I think he was a little bit more nervous because of my knee. Hes worried about me but hes happy to be here and Im happy to have him." Schedule permitting, shed like for Woods to come watch her in Sochi as well. "Yeah. I love having him around and the more races he can come to the better," Vonn said. "But Im not racing that much this year, unfortunately, so you probably wont see both of us around very much." With his hands stuffed in his pockets, golfs 14-time major champion waited patiently for Vonn, who was the 19th starter. Shortly after Vonn went out, Woods walked away from the finish area as camera crews scrambled to keep up with him. "Just having someone supporting you, always makes me feel better," Vonn said. "I didnt feel any pressure, I had two really good training runs and I felt really confident today and Im just disappointed that my knee didnt hold up like I thought it would." Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden of Switzerland won the race for her first career victory, and was also delighted to see Woods there. "Its good for our sport," she said. "Its perfect when we have a lot of prominent people in the finish area." Defending overall champion Tina Maze, who finished second, was surprised when Woods showed up at Fridays pre-race draw. "I noticed that everyone was taking pictures. Then I realized that Tiger was here," she said. "It didnt bring Lindsey much luck today. I feel sorry for her that she didnt finish but I hope she will be back soon. I managed to speak to her, a few words in the finish area. I think in the sport people really respect each other and I have respect for both of them." Vonn has five World Cup wins in Val dIsere and also won two golds at the 2009 world championships -- but those victories all came on two good knees. Earlier this month, the 29-year-old American raced for the first time in 10 months. Still, she was buoyant after finishing only 0.04 seconds behind Dominique Gisin of Switzerland in Thursdays second training run. "The thing is I have no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). So unless I get surgery theres nothing really magical that I can do thats going to make it better," she said. "I just can get my leg stronger, my muscle stronger and try and support it a little more. But that has a small impact. My knee is loose and its not stable and thats the way its going to be from here on out. I just have to get used to it." She did not regret her decision to race at Val dIsere, one of the most technically demanding slopes on the circuit. "I think Val dIsere was a good place for me to come back to. Im skiing well, so going forward I definitely have a lot more confidence," she said. "My goal is the Olympics, so Im not winning any World Cups this year, any titles. As long as Im skiing well and have confidence, thats all I really need." Having Woods around might help, too. Chris Carter Brewers Jersey .500 ball against teams with winning records, so they needed a huge lift from somebody Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders. Chris Capuano Brewers Jersey . The Oilers have been shut out in three straight home games and are in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-14-2 record. "Things have obviously not gone as well as I would have thought probable. MINNEAPOLIS -- Phil Hughes has long been on Minnesotas radar. Thanks to a rough season by the right-hander in New York, the Twins finally added him to their roster. "He probably wouldnt be sitting here if he had an average year. So maybe this is a good omen for us," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said, adding: "Weve got hopes that with a change of scenery that were going to get him going in the right direction." Hughes went 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA for the Yankees last season, and the Twins finalized a $24 million, three-year contract with him after he passed his physical Thursday. This was their second significant step toward restoring a ragged rotation, after signing right-hander Ricky Nolasco Tuesday to a $49 million, four-year deal. Twins starters had the worst collective ERA in the majors last season. "I think its going to be great. Like Terry said, I struggled last year," Hughes said at an introductory news conference at Target Field. "Coming to a new team, a new place and a ballpark thats obviously a little bit more conducive to pitching is going to help a lot." Minnesota picked Trevor Plouffe at No. 20 and Glen Perkins at No. 22 in the 2004 draft, and Hughes went from Santa Ana, Calif., to the Yankees at No. 23. After breezing through their minor league system, he made his debut in 2007. When the Twins were shopping Johan Santana in trades before the 2008 season, Hughes was high on their wish list. But the Twins consummated a deal with the Mets, not the Yankees. Hughes had a stellar season as a setup man for the World Series champions in 2009, won 18 games in 2010 and 16 games in a career-high 191-plus innings in 2012. "Im a firm believer that everything happens for a reason," Hughes said. "It wasnt right in 2004 and it wasnt right in 2008, but I think its going to be right in 2014." The Twins are banking on a move out of hitter-friendly Yankee SStadium to spacious Target Field will help Hughes rediscover the success he had earlier in his career. Custom Brewers Jersey. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Hughes was an All-Star in 2010. "Hes got the velocity. Hes got a curveball. Hes got a slider. Hes got a change. Hes big. Hes strong," Ryan said, adding: "Hes only 27. Pitching in New York and in Yankee Stadium is nothing like it would be here at Target Field. ... We need pitching. Were willing to take a risk." He will make $8 million in each of the next three seasons. The contract includes $1 million in annual performance bonuses: $250,000 each for reaching 180 and 195 innings and $500,000 for reaching 210 innings. Hughes still had 121 strikeouts in 145 2-3 innings last season, despite his struggles. He couldve taken a one-year offer, got back on track and cashed in with a bigger contract next winter. But he liked the commitment showed by the Twins, who wanted some stability. Ryan said Hughes was the youngest free agent pitcher on the market this year. "I dont want to get too far ahead of myself, but obviously when you sign two guys for the dollars that we have here, you have high hopes that were improving this rotation," Ryan said. Behind Nolasco and Hughes is returning veteran Kevin Correia. The other spots are open, with Samuel Deduno, Scott Diamond, Kyle Gibson and Vance Worley among the leading candidates at this point. Ryan said the team is still considering other available free agents. To make room on the 40-man roster for Hughes, the Twins designed right-hander Liam Hendriks for assignment. Being a part of a rebuilding project was another attraction for Hughes, as was escaping the pressurized environment in New York. "That the Twins wanted me for the long term, or somewhat long term, was enticing for sure and something I felt a lot of value with, going to a team that really wants you around," Hughes said. Cheap NFL Jerseys' ' '
Elmont, NY - California Chrome, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, took a nice long gallop Tuesday morning at Belmont Park as he continues to train for Saturdays 146th Belmont Stakes. Marian Hossa Blackhawks Jersey . With trainer Art Sherman in attendance, the Triple Crown contender galloped 2 3/8 miles over Belmonts main track. The chestnut colt had been galloping two miles most mornings. "I thought he looked better now than he did after the Preakness," Sherman said. "I couldnt believe how much weight he put on. He really looks good right now. Going on the Triple Crown trail, its kind of rough. Hes an amazing horse." The number of potential challengers to California Chrome for the Belmont Stakes was reduced Tuesday with the withdrawal of Kid Cruz. "We have decided to pass on the Belmont," trainer Linda Rice said. "Frankly, he didnt perform at Pimlico. It was a flat effort on his part. Well just look for an easy race for him to get him back on track. Its a long summer." Owned by Vina Del Mar Thoroughbreds and Black Swan Stable, Kid Cruz was eighth in the Preakness on May 17. He won two stakes in Maryland, the Private Terms and Federico Tesio Stakes, that put him into the field versus the Kentucky Derby champ. "I just think his last effort was a non-effort on his part," Rice added. "Hes a nice horse, and we want to do the right thing by him. Were going to consider the Easy Goer (Belmont Stakes Day), but we may decide to wait for the Dwyer (Belmont Park on July 5)." Wicked Strong, fourth in the Kentucky Derby, galloped 1 1/2 miles on Belmonts main track Tuesday morning for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. "I galloped him at 7 oclock because I thought it was going to get kind of hot and I didnt want to wait until 9:30 or 10 oclock like we usually do the first day back after working hard," Jerkens said. "Hes doing great. "He had a pretty good excuse in the Derby. His Wood (first in Wood Memorial) was great, and hes trained really well since then. He really is training great. But, you never know until you lead them over there." Saturday should be excellent for the 1 1/2-mile "Test of the Champion." The forecast calls for sunny skies, no chance of rain and a post time temperature of near 80 degrees. Artem Anisimov Blackhawks Jersey . It will mark the 22nd time the tournament has been held in this country and fourth in Atlanta Canada but will make its first appearance ever in played Nova Scotia. Corey Crawford Jersey . Compared to what hes gone through in recent weeks, that seemed like a breeze. Speaking to The Associated Press on Friday at an NBA Cares event, Silver said hes thrilled that the leagues attention can be on the championship series between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs -- and not, as it was for so much of the post-season, on the off-the-court matters involving the banishment of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and now the looming sale of that franchise.MELBOURNE, Australia - Rafael Nadal persevered through stomach cramps to fend off American qualifier Tim Smyczek 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-5 in a second-round match Wednesday at the Australian Open.Nadal came into the tournament having played in only four tournaments since Wimbledon due to a right wrist injury and appendix surgery.At the end of the third game of the third set, Nadaal called for medical assistance and was given medication for stomach pain. Glenn Hall Jersey. .Serving for the third set at 5-4, Nadal had a double-fault on break point. Smyczek clinched the tiebreaker and the third set with an ace.Nadal broke Smyczeks service in the 11th game of the fifth set, then held serve to clinch it on his fourth match point in 4 hours, 12 minutes. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
LONDON -- Crystal Palace has hired former Stoke manager Tony Pulis, hoping he can revive the struggling club and lift it out of last place in the Premier League. Al Kaline Jersey . The 55-year-old Pulis had been out of work since leaving Stoke last season and will take charge after Saturdays Premier League match against Hull, with caretaker manager Keith Millen remaining in charge for the match against the Tigers. Pulis signed a 2 1/2-year contract and his first match in charge will be against Norwich on Nov. 30. Pulis succeeds Ian Holloway, who left the club last month after a disappointing start to the season following the South Londons club return to the topflight. Palace has just four points from 11 games. Alan Trammell Tigers Jersey . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. Jose Iglesias Jersey . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- With two swings, Scott Van Slyke went from backup outfielder to star of the game. Van Slyke drove in a career-high four runs with two homers off struggling left-hander Tony Cingrani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, a rare comfortable win in their pitching-dominated series. Van Slyke hit a solo homer and a three-run shot off Cingrani (2-7), who could lose his spot in the rotation when Mat Latos returns from the disabled list later this week. Cingrani gave up a career-high six runs in 4 2-3 innings of his fifth straight loss. The Dodgers like Van Slyke for his versatility. He has started four games in centre, 11 in left and three at first base. The problem is that theres no room for him to have a regular spot. "I know what Im here for, so I dont mind it," Van Slyke said. "Im not going to complain." Nor will the Dodgers. "Hes been good for us all year," manager Don Mattingly said. "This guys just kind of slowly showing his value over time. Hes a guy that sneaks up on you. Plays all three outfield spots really well. "I think hes a guy that you could expand his role. Obviously thats not here right now." Dan Haren (6-4) gave up five hits in 5 1-3 innings, including Ryan Ludwicks solo homer, for his first win since May 12. Brandon League escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs threat in the eighth by getting Ludwick to hit a comebacker that led to a home-to-first double play. Haren opened the season 4-0 and has been trying to get back into form the past month. "I started the year throwing the ball very well," Haren said. "Ive just really been mediocre here for a while. Today the bullpen picked me up." The Dodgers have gone 3-1 at the start of their seven-game trip to Colorado and Cincinnati despite hip injuries to right fielder Yasiel Puig and second baseman Dee Gordon. Puig was back in the lineup on Monday and had a single and a walk. Gordon pinch hit in the ninth and beat out an infield single. The Dodgers andd Reds have played a lot of close games the last two seasons. Lance Parrish Tigers Jersey. Six of their last seven had been decided by one run, with Cincinnati holding a 4-3 advantage in those games. Van Slyke made this a comfortable win for the Dodgers, getting a career-high three hits. In addition to the homers, he singled and walked twice, reaching base in all five plate appearances. Van Slyke came into the game with four homers and seven RBIs. He led off the second inning with a homer and ended Cingranis outing with a three-run shot in the fifth that made it 6-2. It was his second career two-homer game. Cingrani has struggled since he returned from an inflamed shoulder that landed him on the disabled list. Hes 0-5 in those five starts with a 6.26 ERA and nine homers allowed. The left-hander gave up seven hits -- matching his career high -- and three walks on Monday. The Reds fell to 3-4 on their 10-game homestand, leaving them fourth in the NL Central. Haren had one rough inning, helping the Reds tie it 1-all in the second. Brayan Pena snapped a career-worst 0-for-17 slump with a single, and Zack Cozart singled. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Pena scored when Haren bounced a pitch to Cingrani with two outs. NOTES: Josh Beckett (3-3) makes his first appearance against the Reds since 2008 on Tuesday. The Reds start Mike Leake (3-5), who has been limited by a sore neck and is coming off his shortest appearance of the season. ... OF Andre Ethier was out of the Dodgers lineup getting a planned day of rest. ... Van Slyke hit two homers against Atlanta on May 17, 2013. ... Two ducks landed in centre and stayed there for an inning. Van Slyke threw sunflower seeds to them. ... Ludwick is 7 for 12 career against Haren with three homers. ... Latos made his final rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Monday night and threw 81 pitches before a rain delay. The right-hander has been sidelined all season while recovering from torn knee cartilage and a strained pitching forearm. Alfredo Simon, his replacement in the rotation, leads the team in wins with an 8-3 record. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
TSN announced on Friday that legendary broadcaster Ron Burgundy will join the networks team of broadcasters beginning in December. Anders Lee Jersey . One of North Americas most trusted and beloved television personalities, Burgundys new role at TSN will be revealed during the networks live broadcast of the 101st Grey Cup this Sunday at 6pm et/3pm pt. "This is going to end terribly," said Burgundy. Ron Burgundy is an award-winning News Anchorman and poet. He lives with his wife, Veronica, and dog, Baxter, in San Diego, California. When he is not making models of eighteenth-century sailing ships, he can often be found on the deck of his own boat, The Shining MLady, or supervising archaeological digs in and around his backyard. Ron Burgundy is featured in Paramount Pictures Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, hitting theatres on Dec. 20. Matt Martin Jersey .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Mikhail Grabovski Islanders Jersey... as usual. Even with the salary cap being set lower than many general managers expected and hoped for at $69 million and whats considered a shallow pool of top-end players available, this unrestricted-free-agent period figures to follow the familiar script of teams bidding up prices to keep up with each other.LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Zack Fischer closed with an 8-under 64 on Tuesday in Q-school to earn top status on the Web.com Tour next year. This was the first year that Q-school only offered status on the PGA Tours secondary circuit. Fischer finished at 31-under 401 in the six-round tournament at PGA West. As the medallist , he is assured entry into every Web.com Tour event. Scott Pinckney shot a 68 to finnish second. John Tavares Islanders Jersey. Pinckney and the other players in the top 10 will have full status through 12 tournaments. After that, the priority ranking will be reshuffled depending on the money list. That group includes Max Homa. Players who finished between 11th and 45th do not face the reshuffle until after the eighth event. Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, tied for 11th. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
METAIRIE, La. Gregor Blanco Jersey . - The Saints defence has made takeaways its top priority after forcing an NFC-low 19 turnovers in 2013. Near the start of a workout in late May, New Orleans rookie cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste stripped wide receiver Andy Tanner after he made a short reception. That play set the tone. Defenders have continued to punch and slap at the ball in the first two practices of minicamp. Although New Orleans finished fourth in the NFL in yards allowed under new co-ordinator Rob Ryan last season — a dramatic improvement after yielding the most yards in NFL history a year earlier — Ryan wont be happy until he sees more turnovers. Seven fumble recoveries and 12 interceptions were not enough. "That was a glaring weakness last year," he says. "We did pretty decent as a unit, but we want to be great, and to be great, you have to take the ball away." They did more than just talk about it. They signed free agent Jairus Byrd, whose 22 interceptions since his rookie season in 2009 are the most for any NFL safety, and also picked up veteran Champ Bailey, whose 52 career interceptions are the most for any active cornerback. In film sessions, Ryan has repeatedly shown cutups of Chicago safety Charles Tillman punching out the ball. In 2012, Tillman forced 10 fumbles, which is three more than the Saints managed as a whole in 2013. "Great players can be imitated, and were trying to do that here," Ryan said. "Imitation is the biggest form of flattery. We know we have to improve on that." Linebacker Curtis Loftons statistics were a perfect illustration of the Saints strengths and weaknesses last year. He made a team-high 125 tackles for the resurgent defence but had a hand in only turnover, forcing a fumble against Miami. He did not recover a fumble or pick off a pass all season. "We didnt create enough turnovers, so thats definitely an emphasis for us," he said. "Weve been working on it, and its showing up in practice. Then we are going to take what we do in practice and do it in games." After winning the Super Bowl in 2009, New Orleans has returned to the playoffs in three of the last four years but has come up short of the NFC Championship Game each time. Seattle was the roadblock last year, hammering the Saints 34-7 in the regular season and beating them again 23-15 in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Saints werent that far behind the Seahawks in yards allowed per game (273.6 to 305.7) and registered 49 sacks to the Seahawks 44, but Seattle had more than twice as many takeaways with 39. "If you look at all the past great defences, they forced a lot of turnovers," Bailey said. "Theres a reason Seattle won the Super Bowl. They forced a lot of turnovers. If we dont get them, we wont go very far." Ryan expects the presence of Byrd and Bailey to help close that gap. Bailey deflected a pass that turned into an interception in the Saints first open practice of the summer. Byrd is out for the summer after undergoing back surgery, but coach Sean Payton said he was on schedule to return for the beginning of training camp. In addition to his interceptions, he forced 11 fumbles in his five years with Buffalo. Thats not Tillman territory, but it beats what the Saints did last year. "You can see guys attempting to punch through the ball, almost over-exaggerating it," said linebacker Junior Galette, who had 12 sacks last year but forced only one fumble. "Charles Tillman is a beast at it, and we are motivated to make the extra effort to knock it out." NOTES: During one 11-on-11 session in Wednesdays practice, a machine on the side of the field cranked up crowd noise as the offence approached the line of scrimmage on each play. Coach Sean Payton said it was the first time he has piped in noise during minicamp. The Saints went 3-5 on the road in the regular season last year — their first losing record away from home under Payton since 2008. .Minicamp ends with another practice on Thursday. ___ AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Juan Marichal Giants Jersey . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. Joe Panik Jersey . It was the most lopsided loss in Lakers history. Darren Collison had a team-high 24 points while starting at shooting guard for the injured Jamal Crawford. Chris Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who apparently are trying to make up for decades of humiliation at the hands of the Lakers all in one season; theyve won the last two meetings by a combined 84 points. ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- Adam Lowry says he feels most comfortable when hes in front of the net. He proved that Saturday by scoring two goals in the first period and adding an assist in the third before J.C. Lipon had the shootout winner to lift St. Johns over the Toronto Marlies 5-4. "Thats where I feel most at home on the power play, in front of the net," Lowry said. "Making it hard on goalies to see the puck and battling down low. I just try to use my size to my advantage." But despite Lowrys three-point night, the IceCaps forward wouldnt take much credit for his teams win. "I cant really take a lot of credit, it was a really nice pass from Jerome (Samson) on the first one," Lowry said. "Will (ONeill) got a shot through on the second one. Im just trying to get in front of the goalie and impede his vision on the power play and such. "I was fortunate to get a few lucky breaks." Both teams played a physical game, with five fights and several big hits highlighting the contest. IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge says he was happy with how his team responded to the physicality. "We had good energy," McCambridge said. "We go down one goal and then we responded quickly with three. We were physical, it was one of our most physical games of the season." Carl Klingberg and PPatrice Cormier also scored for the IceCaps (18-15-3). Dave Dravecky Jersey. Peter Holland scored two for the Marlies (20-11-3), while Wade MacLeod and T.J. Brennan added one each. The Marlies opened the scoring 23 seconds into the game as MacLeod finished off a rebound chance on the backhand. Lowry levelled the score for the IceCaps with a wrist shot in front of the net on a cross-crease pass 3:54 into the first period. With 2:42 left in the first, Lowry scored his second of the game, tipping home an ONeill point shot in front of the net on the power play. Cormier won position in front and tapped in a goal 44 seconds into the second period off a nice feed from Brenden Kichton. The Marlies shortened the gap to one as Josh Leivo made a nifty backhand pass and found Holland open in the slot at the 3:06 mark of the third period on the power play. Lowry carried the puck to the net at the 9:43 mark of the third and passed across to Klingberg, who scored on the doorstep. Brennan scored a wrist shot high blocker to bring the Marlies within one less than a minute later on the power play. Holland then fooled IceCaps goalie Eddie Pasquale high, as Pasquale misplayed a puck that seemed to be going over the net at 12:02 in the third to force extra time. Pasquale finished with 35 saves, while Drew MacIntyre stopped 22 for Toronto. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
SEATTLE -- Russell Wilson made sure everyone knew Percy Harvin was healthy. Chris Johnson Marlins Jersey . Marshawn Lynch bullied his way to another 100-yard rushing performance. And Richard Sherman? He was just bored. The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks opened the same way they finished last season, with a blowout victory. "Well always find something that we can do better," Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "Thats why were so good." Lynch ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns, Harvin had 100 combined yards rushing and receiving, and the Seahawks dominated Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in a 36-16 victory to kick off the regular season Thursday night. The memories of last season were revisited, with the championship banner unveiled celebrating Seattles first title. But the ceremony was brief, a nod to putting last season behind and beginning the process of trying to become the first team in a decade to repeat. Their effort against the Packers -- a popular pick to contend in the NFC -- will only reinforce the belief Seattle is still the favourite. Wilson was outstanding in the first half, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ricardo Lockette. Harvin got touches as a receiver, running back and returner. He was used all over the field in different formations after never being fully healthy in his first season with Seattle. Wilson finished 19 of 28 for 191 yards, while Lynch was at his best. Pete Carroll said earlier this week that Lynch appeared in the best shape of his career, and it showed. Lynch averaged 5.5 yards per carry and topped 100 yards for the 20th time in the regular season since joining the Seahawks in 2010. Lynch, who ran for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, barrelled through a trio of Packers for a TD with 3:41 left before halftime to give the Seahawks a 17-10 lead and added a second scoring run on the first play of the fourth quarter. "Obviously, we were the more physical team today, offensively and defensively. I saw supposedly some of the best players in the league not want to tackle Marshawn Lynch," Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett said. "Of course, nobody is going to say nothing about that, but I seen a lot of guys whiff on tackles that should have been 2-yard gains and theyre supposed to be the best." Seattle had 207 yards rushing as a team and won for the 18th time in its last 20 regular- season home games. Harvin finished with 11 offensive touches, including four rushes for 41 yards. "If we already peaked this game were going to be in trouble," Harvin said. "I hope we can just take this game and build on it." Rodgers was 23 of 33 for 189 yards and was isolated to one side of the field. He looked almost exclusively for Jordy Nelson matched up against Byron Maxwell and never threw in Shermans direction. Nelson finished with nine receptions, but Maxwell came up with a third-quarter interception on a pass that deflected off Nelsons hands. The most action for Sherman came in the first half when he accidently blocked Davon House into Earl Thomas on a punt return causing a fumble recovered by the Packers. But Seattles defenders did their part. They sacked Rodgers three times, taking advantage of a knee injury suffered by right tackle Bryan Bulaga in the second quarter. His replacement, Derek Sherrod, gave up a fourth-down sack to Cliff Avril to end one drive inside Seattle territory. Following a Seattle punt, Sherrod was beaten by Michael Bennett on Green Bays next offensive snap. Rodgers was stripped and Sherrod fell on the fumble in the end zone for a safety and a 22-10 lead. "I think that you get wake up calls and then you get drill sergeant kick you out the bed calls and I think we just got kicked out the bed onto a cement floor, and it hurt," Green Bay defensive lineman Mike Daniels said. Eddie Lacy was mostly a non-factor with 34 yards rushing on 12 carries and left in the fourth quarter with a concussion. And despite holding the Packers to 255 total yards -- the third fewest by Green Bay since the start of 2012 -- Sherman felt the job wasnt up to standard. "It wasnt dominant at all. We have a lot of things to clean up," Sherman said. "We missed some opportunities on some turnovers. We missed some tackles on key drives we could have stopped we had some key penalties. These are all things we need to clean up because we have a really high standard." Lynchs second TD put Seattle up 29-10. Rodgers threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Randall Cobb in the fourth quarter, but Wilson closed out the victory with a 13-play drive that ate up 7 minutes and was capped by a 15-yard TD pass to Derrick Coleman on fourth down with 2:31 left. NOTES: Former Seattle LT Walter Jones was presented his Hall of Fame ring during a halftime ceremony that featured fellow Seattle Hall of Famers Steve Largent and Cortez Kennedy. The trio raised the "12th Man Flag" prior to kickoff. ... Wagner tied a career high with 14 tackles. ... Reserve James Starks led Green Bay with 37 yards rushing.Andre Dawson Marlins Jersey . - Rookie Tesho Akindele scored three goals and Fabian Castillo added two in FC Dallas 5-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night. Chris Johnson Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win.Coral Gables, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lecomte each made four 3-pointers as No. 20 Miami-Florida handled overmatched Savannah State, 70-39, on Monday night. Rodriguez finished with 17 points, while Lecomte and Sheldon McClellan added 15 apiece for the Hurricanes (9-1), who made better than half their shots (21- of-41) after shooting at a 32.8 percent clip in Saturdays loss to Green Bay. Demarcus Bryant netted nine points on the strength of three 3-pointers, but the Tigers (3-7) could not overcome Miamis hot shooting and a 19-2 discrepancy in made free throws. Miami scored the games first 10 points and led by 17 late in the opening half before the Tigers made theeir only push. Dee Gordon Marlins Jersey. Bryant made consecutive 3-pointers to spark a 10-0 run, and the visitors were within 34-23 at halftime. There was another stretch of 10 straight Miami points early in the second half, and Savannah State did not have an answer this time. Lecomte converted a three-point play for a 46-25 cushion with 13:21 remaining, and the lead grew to 33 at one point. Game Notes All seven of Savannah States losses have come on the road ... Tonye Jekiri totaled eight points and nine rebounds for the Hurricanes ... Miami wraps up its five-game homestand Friday against Eastern Kentucky ... Miami has won all five meetings vs. the Tigers. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
The Buffalo Sabres just wrapped up an abysmal season in which they finished 14 points behind the second-worst team in the standings. Ray Allen Bucks Jersey . The good news? As a clearly rebuilding team, they are prime candidates for next seasons Connor McDavid Sweepstakes. Off-Season Game Plan looks at what new GM Tim Murray has at his disposal and what the Sabres roster may look like for next season. The Sabres have already started adding assets, in terms of prospects and draft picks, that its easy to see a bright future. The question is: how long will it take? Murray has said he wants to rebuild properly, but sounds anxious. "When you tear it down, it doesnt happen overnight," Murray said. "I want to rebuild here properly, which takes time. But it doesnt have to take years." In an ideal world, best-case scenario, the Sabres would still seem to be three-to-four years -- yes, years -- away from being a playoff team, so patience is required. That includes from the new general manager. Its one thing to have an aggressive plan, but if Murray is going to wait for his draft picks to mature as NHL players, theres no magical way to expedite that process. Sure, its possible that the Sabres could move picks for young talent, but players develop on their own timeline and its going to take time for 18-and-19-year-olds to become difference-makers in the NHL. For next season, there are obviously openings for young players to make the jump. Last years first-round picks, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov, should challenge for spots, but a whole host of prospects will have a chance and there is the matter of this years top picks. The Sabres have the second pick and could pick fifth as well if the New York Islanders elect to give up the pick this year instead of 2015 (a decision still to be made by the Islanders as part of the Thomas Vanek trade). For all the theoretical promise that the Sabres have, they remain frontrunners for McDavid or Jack Eichel at the top of the 2015 Draft. 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) -- Corsi, adjusted for zone starts, quality of competition and quality of teammates, hits, blocked shots, penalty differential and faceoffs. Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be around 70, stars will be over 80 and MVP candidates could go over 90. Sidney Crosby finished at the top of the 2013-2014 regular season ratings at 87.12. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. CF% = Corsi percentage (ie. percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts). GM/COACHTim Murray/Ted Nolan Returning Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit Cody Hodgson 68.46 72 20 24 44 42.5% $4.25M Drew Stafford 66.49 70 16 18 34 42.8% $4.0M Chris Stewart 63.71 63 15 11 26 47.5% $4.15M Zemgus Girgensons 62.17 70 8 14 22 44.7% $894K Torrey Mitchell 57.51 57 2 8 10 45.6% $1.9M Ville Leino 57.37 58 0 15 15 43.5% $4.5M Brian Flynn 57.35 79 6 7 13 41.6% $638K Free Agent Forwards Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit Tyler Ennis 67.45 80 21 22 43 43.9% RFA $2.813M Cory Conacher 61.15 79 7 19 26 49.6% RFA $871K Marcus Foligno 60.12 74 7 12 19 42.9% RFA $827K Matt DAgostini 60.11 57 5 7 12 47.2% UFA $550K Zenon Konopka 55.23 23 0 1 1 34.7% UFA $925K John Scott 52.83 56 1 0 1 39.9% UFA $750K It is evidence of just where the Sabres are in their rebuilding process when Cody Hodgson, with 44 points, is the teams top returning scorer. The 24-year-old has enough skill to be a good second-line scorer, but he gets fed tougher assignments because the Sabres dont have anyone else. He played some wing late in the year, but as this roster is constructed, Hodgson or Tyler Ennis will likely be the de facto No. 1 centre. RW Drew Stafford is another Sabres veteran who is asked to do way too much. He played a career-high 19:38 per game last season and the return was a modest 16 goals and 34 points. A three-time 20-goal scorer with good size and some skill with the puck, hes also forced into a first-line role on a bad team when he could more reasonably fit as a second-line scoring winger. Going into the final year of his contract, Stafford could be a trade candidate leading up to the deadline. Though he got into a handful of games for the Sabres after he was acquired from the Blues as part of the Ryan Miller trade, RW Chris Stewart is a prime candidate to move again, whether its this summer or next season; in part, because hes entering the final year of his deal. Hes big winger who can play the power forward game, at his best, but his career has been up and down, from two 28-goal seasons to leading the Blues in scoring in 2012-2013, to playing 14:41 per game this past season, his lowest time on ice since his rookie year. 20-year-old Zemgus Girgensons rode a lightning bolt, going from the USHL to an everyday spot in the NHL after one year in the AHL, and was a solid contributor as a rookie. He plays a physical game and could, with a better supporting cast, become a player that can handle tough checking assignments as he matures. A couple years removed from his best years in San Jose, Torrey Mitchell can be used in a checking role, taking a heavier proportion of defensive zone starts, but hes also going into the last year of his contract, so he may not be around Buffalo for the long haul. It seems a given that the Sabres will buy out the final three seasons, and $11-million, due to Ville Leino after he failed to score a goal in 58 games, a feat that put him in rather ignominious company. The contract was ill-conceived when it was signed three years ago and, after 10 goals and 46 points in 137 games, it is probably best for both parties to move on. Admittedly, its easier to make that determination when its someone else that has to pay a player $7-million to not play for their team, but Murray has said it is a "very good possibility" that Leino will be bought out. Signed to an inexpensive one-way deal for next season, Brian Flynn has an opportunity to earn his spot as a checking forward. At the same time, he turns 26 this summer and has 24 points in 105 career NHL games, so he needs to establish that he can contribute enough in a checking role if hes going to have an NHL career that runs longer than next season. For a rebuilding team like Buffalo, its not the worst thing in the world to have a player with some hunger to make an impression filling out one of the lower spots on the depth chart. A tiny skilled forward who has a couple of 20-goal seasons under his belt, Tyler Ennis is a restricted free agent who is due a raise and, like Hodgson, is one of the Sabres that gets force-fed more minutes because there just arent better alternatives. Also, like Hodgson, its easy to see how Ennis could be a good complementary scorer on a more competitive team. Since scoring five goals and 12 points in the first seven games of his career (with Tampa Bay in 2012-2013), Cory Conacher has managed 13 goals and 43 points in 119 games. He may not be a prolific scorer in the NHL (after scoring 114 points in 118 career AHL games), but Conacher is also an okay possession player who is skilled enough to overcome a lack of size. If nothing else, he can be a reasonably-priced top nine forward for the Sabres. A sturdy winger who may have set unreasonable expectations when he burst into the NHL in 2011-2012, scoring 13 points in 14 games, LW Marcus Foligno hasnt scored anywhere near that rate since, but thats more in line with his track record coming into the NHL. Maybe hell develop some scoring touch but, in the meantime, Foligno can be a contributor in a physical checking role. The Sabres have, or will have, some pieces that they will be able to use to fill out their forward roster. Whomever they select with the second pick in the draft, if it ends up being Sam Reinhart or Sam Bennett, might have an opportunity to stick, though an argument can easily be made that its not worth burning an entry-level year for an 18-year-old to step into this lineup. Prospects Mikhail Grigorenko and Johan Larsson should have chances to compete for jobs, and Joel Armia may be ready to join the club at some point next season after further AHL seasoning. Whether they decide to keep an enforcer, like John Scott, around or not, the Sabres should have some lineup flexibility next season. When it comes to adding free agents, the Sabres may be able to nibble on the edges. Sure, it would be nice to add some with local ties, like Rochester-born Ryan Callahan, but if Callahan has other suitors, it doesnt make for the Sabres to shell out big long-term money for a 29-year-old winger. At the right price (and term), a veteran like Milan Michalek or Buffalo native Lee Stempniak would probably add stability in what is likely to be a trying season. Returning Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Cap Hit Christian Ehrhoff 68.97 79 6 27 33 46.0% $4.0M Tyler Myers 67.21 62 9 13 22 44.5% $5.5M Mark Pysyk 60.14 44 1 6 7 45.9% $870K Mike Weber 59.01 68 1 8 9 40.4% $1.667M Free Agent Defence Player Rating GP G A PTS CF% Class 13-14 Cap Hit Jamie McBain 62.16 69 6 11 17 40.8% RFA $1.8M Henrik Tallinder 57.23 64 2 6 8 42.5% UFA $3.375M Alexander Sulzer 55.62 25 0 2 22 41.3% UFA $725K He may not live up to his monster contract, but Christian Ehrhoff plays 25 minutes a night for the Sabres and does it well -- hes been a top relative possession player over the past five seasons and it tends to go unappreciated on a bottom-feeding team like the Sabres, but Ehrhoff is the type of defenceman that many other teams would come looking for in trade; of course, presuming that they could stomach the idea paying the soon-to-be 32-year-old for seven more seasons. Its been quite an unusual career path for Tyler Myers, who was a star-in-waiting as a 19-year-old, but seems to have lost his way. Myers seemed to play better over his last dozen or so games before suffering some injuries late in the year. A 24-year-old signed through 2019, Myers has time to improve and it would probably be worthwhile for the Sabres to give him another year to see what they really have in hand. Theres nothing flashy about Mark Pysyks game, but hes been steady on a bad team since first coming up in 2012-2013. Even so, he was still demoted to the AHL for a couple of months last season and while it might have allowed him to play a significant role and not be subject to losing night after night, its not unreasonable to expect that 22-year-old Pysyk will be much more ready to handle NHL action next season than some of the Sabres other defence prospects. Mike Weber is a tough, stay-at-home defenceman but, as is often the case with stay-at-home defencemen, he gets crushed in terms of puck possession and its difficult to make the case that he is going to improve in that regard. He can be place-filler, eating up some minutes while the prospects gain their NHL footing, but is more suited to a depth role. Jamie McBain burst into the NHL, late in the 2009-2010 season, playing big minutes for Carolina, and lookedl ike he was well on his way to a long and fruitful career. Now, hes 26, and coming off a season in which he played more than 20 minutes per game, but also took some lumps in the possession game, so its been a rather uneven ride to this point. The restricted free agent is capable enough to fill a spot on next seasons blueline, but expectations are sufficiently modest. Most of the holes on the Sabres defence can be filled by prospects -- Pysyk, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov, Jake McCabe -- though that doesnt mean the holes will go away entirely. Those young defencemen are going to take some time to develop and if it means they learn on the job next season, theres value in gaining that experience, even if it hurts the short-term results. In the name of immediate reliability, an inexpensive veteran like Mike Weaver or a reclamation project like Andrej Meszaros could be worth a look but, considering the expectations for next season, the Sabres could be fine to let their prospects play and see who is ready to sink or swim, knowing that there isnt huge downside to sinking. Returning Goaltenders Player Rating GP W L OTL GAA SV% Cap Hit Jhonas Enroth 73.26 28 4 17 5 2.82 .911 $1.25M Michal Neuvirth 72.04 15 4 8 2 2.78 .921 $2.5M Over the past three seasons, Jhonas Enroth has posted a .915 save percentage, which is about league average, but pretty decent for a goalie with a backup workload. While his overall numbers were mediocre in 2013-2014, Enroth did have a .929 save percentage at 5-on-5 and that should be enough to get consideration for a bigger role next season as the Sabres embark on life without Ryan Miller. Enroth will battle for playing time with Michal Neuvirth, the 26-year-old who had fallen out of favour in Washington. Neuvirth played 48 games in 2010-2011, having handled a heavier workload in the NHL before, yet both goaltenders arent really established at this point in their careers, so the Sabres arent obligated to one or the other. They can alternate or let one of the goalies take the starting job with superior performance. No matter who is in the net, theyre likely to be busy. Top Prospects Player Pos. Team/League Stats Rasmus Ristolainen D Rochester (AHL) 6-14-20, -2, 34 GP Nikita Zadorov D London (OHL) 11-19-30, +30, 36 GP Mikhail Grigorenko C Quebec (QMJHL) 15-24-39,+15, 23 GP Joel Armia RW Rochester (AHL) 7-20-27, -6, 54 GP J.T. Compher LW Michigan (Big 10) 11-20-31, +13, 35 GP Jake McCabe D Wisconsin (Big 10) 8-17-25, -6, 36 GP Johan Larsson LW Rochester (AHL) 15-26-41, +7, 51 GP Nick Baptiste RW Sudbury (OHL) 45-44-89, +20, 65 GP Hudson Fasching RW Minnesota (Big 10) 14-16-30, +17, 40 GP Chad Ruhwedel D Rochester (AHL) 4-24-28, -1, 47 GP Nicolas Deslauriers LW Rochester (AHL) 19-23-42, +3, 65 GP Rasmus Ristolainen, the eighth overall pick last summer, got into 34 games with the Sabres as a rookie and got steamrolled early, posting a 38.9% Corsi% before he spent some time in the AHL. Ristolainen fared a little better late in the year, after he was recalled, posting a 43.4% Corsi%, and none of those struggles as a teen defenceman should take away from his status as a top prospect. He has size, can move the puck and ought to gain valuable experience next year. Hard-hitting Nikita Zadorov could force his way onto the team next year too, as he showed promise in an early-season stint with the Sabres, before having a strong year in London. Zadorov is huge and can be a punishing hitter. He needs to pick his spots better as he climbs the ladder, but Zadorovs physical play combined with his skill gives him a high ceiling. It could be said that Mikhail Grigorenko will have to succeed despite the development plan the Sabres had for him -- presuming there was one -- to this point. Since being drafted 12th overall in 2012, Hes bounced between the Sabres (8 points in 43 games), Rochester (four points in 11 games) and Quebec of the QMJHL (116 points in 72 regular season plus playoff games). Theres talent there, but hes been overwhelmed at the NHL level, so it could make sense to let him start next year in the AHL, establish his game as a pro scoring centre and go from there. The 16th pick in 2011, Joel Armia didnt score much in his first North American pro season, but thats not unusual for a 20-year-old. Next season will be a big opportunity for Armia to take the next step and score like he did in Finland. A good season could set him up nicely for a future at right wing on a scoring line for the Sabres. A second-round pick last year, J.T. Compher had an impressive freshman campaign at Michigan. He plays a two-way game and has time to develop an offensive game before he embarks on a pro career. Taken in the second round in 2012, Jake McCabe is a two-way defenceman who can play the power play and play a physical game defensively. There will be some competition for jobs on the Sabres blueline next year but, even though he played seven games for Buffalo late in the year, theres no need to rush McCabe into the lineup. Some heavy minutes in the AHL should be good for his development. In industrious forward, Johan Larsson managed just four assists in 28 games with the Sabres, but his relative possession stats were promising enough that he could start in a depth role next season. A winger with good size and speed, Nick Baptiste blossomed offensively after he was a third-round pick last summer, jumping from 21 goals and 48 points in his draft year to 45 goals and 89 points this season. As the Sabres stockpile young assets, Baptiste will have to remain productive to stay at the forefront, but hes one of their best offensive prospects at the moment. A power forward who had a nice freshman season at the University of Minnesota, Hudson Fasching was picked up in a trade deadline trade with Los Angeles. He has upside, and the Sabres can afford to wait a few years to see if he develops into a pro scoring winger. Smallish defenceman Chad Ruhwedel, soon to be 24, is more mature than the other Sabres defence prospects, and he was relatively effective in 21 games for Buffalo. He doesnt have the same kind of future with the franchise as the top picks, so he can be bypassed more easily, but if the young D prospects arent ready, Ruhwedel could offer more immediate help. A converted defenceman who was acquired with Fasching when Brayden McNabb was sent to Los Angeles, Nicolas Deslauriers got a good look with the Sabres at the end of the year. Though he managed just one goal in 17 games, Deslauriers is a sturdy forward who managed decent relative possession stats and the 23-year-old could make the club next season. The Sabres have some other prospects of note including Swedish scoring winger Gustav Possler, goaltender Matt Hackett, who is coming off a down season, and Daniel Catenacci, who had 20 points in 76 games as a first-year pro. Sabres advanced stats and player usage chart from Extra Skater DRAFT2nd - Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad FREE AGENCYAccording to www.capgeek.com, the Sabres have approximately $37.1M committed to the 2014-2015 salary cap for 13 players. Check out my possible Sabres lineup for next season on Cap Geek here. Needs: Three top line forwards, two top-four defencemen, depth defencemen.What I said the Sabres needed last year: Two top-six forwards, two top-four defencemen, another defenceman.They added: Zemgus Girgensons, Mikhail Grigorenko, Jamie McBain, Mark Pysyk, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov. TRADE MARKETChris Stewart, Drew Stafford, Jamie McBain, Mike Weber. 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.Custom Bucks Jersey . - The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta reached agreement on a five-year contract Friday. Swingman Khris Middleton Jersey . Minutes after the previously winless Colts got their first win, 27-13 over Tennessee, team vice chairman Bill Polian said the four-time league MVP will not play this season though he has begun throwing to teammates at the team complex. MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi marked his return from a near two-month injury absence by coming off the bench to score two late goals as Barcelona beat Getafe 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. While Cesc Fabregas also scored twice, the atmosphere at the far-from-capacity Camp Nou only picked up with Messis entrance as a substitute in the 64th minute. The Argentina forward showed no after-effects from a torn left hamstring. "I felt good in training and even if they checked me thoroughly, once you get on the field its totally different," Messi said. "Physically I felt good, I didnt feel any discomfort in my muscle." "I played through injury," Messi said of the buildup to his 59-day absence, when he was bothered by various problems. "But I did well to get through all of this. And now Im motivated to make this a great year." Messi slotted home Martin Montoyas lay-off inside the area on the stroke of stoppage time before capping a typical run through the opponents defence with a rising shot into the back of the net moments later. "Messis career is like a movie script," Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said. "When you think hes down, he scores goals within just two or three minutes. His game was like a summary of his entire career here." Pedro Rodriguez found Fabregas inside the area with a well-placed cross to head home the ninth-minute opener, and Fabregas later doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in front of 39,299 fans at the 100,000-capacity stadium. Barcelona was without forward Neymar because of a stomach bug. The game was watched by the teaams former coach Tito Vilanova, who showed the effects of his cancer treatment. Miles Plumlee Jersey. In other last 16, first-leg matches, last-place Real Betis set aside its Spanish league woes to beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at home, while second-division side Alcorcon also started with a 1-0 home victory against Espanyol. Racing Santander drew 1-1 against Almeria in a tension-filled matchup marked by player protests and the directors box being stormed by spectators. Santander has quickly slid down the professional ranks into the third division since its relegation from topflight football two seasons ago. Tension was high among the 1,500 fans in the El Sardinero from the kickoff when players stood idly for 20 seconds in protest at not being paid their wages for three months. A group of spectators also attempted to confront club president Alfonso Garcia and the directors in their seats, and clashes with police followed. At the Benito Villamarin Stadium, Betis forward Ruben Castro headed home Juanfran Morenos long cross at the far post in the 42nd minute for the winner. Cedric Mabwati and Joan Verdu came close as Betis controlled the first half before Athletic improved. Kike Sola marked his return from injury with the visitors best chances, hitting a post just before stoppage time. Dani Pacheco scored as Alcorcon continued its good run in the domestic cup competition against Espanyol, which was without coach Javier Aguirre who was serving the first of a four-game ban. On Thursday, Real Madrid plays Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano faces Levante. Defending champion Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at Valencia on Tuesday. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '