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Yorkshire 291 for 5 (Balance 106*, Lees 63, Bresnan 63) v MiddlesexScorecard Scarboroughs restorative properties have long been proclaimed by many who love nothing better than to holiday in this grand old seaside town. Cheap Rockets Jerseys . Considering the state of the pound, they might soon be joined by a few more converts. Certainly there is a good case for Welcome to Yorkshire using Gary Ballance on their advertising material after he reacquainted himself with the form that has largely eluded him since he was dropped by England.Ballance is habitually listed as those in the running to replace Nick Compton as Englands No. 3 in the first Test against Pakistan. That he is on the shortlist - albeit a little lower down at the moment - owes as much to his Test average of 48 as much as recent form, but his unbeaten 106 against a reputable Middlesex attack, his first of the season, will do him no harm.It has been a long time coming, this century, and it was a great feeling, Ballance said. I have felt it good nick this season but have not been getting the big scores. It was not so much the nervous 90s as the nervous 80s where I was stuck for about half an hour and thinking about a century but I eased my nerves by getting through the 90s quickly.I would love to get back into the England team but every cricketer will tell you that you start struggling if you start thinking about it. At the moment I am just concentrating on playing for Yorkshire and not worrying about England: the rest will happenHistorians might feel this latest Scarborough miracle was appropriate. Scarboroughs claim to be the worlds first seaside spa report goes back as far as 1626 when it was affimed that the towns spring water possessed medicinal properties. Such optimism was badly needed at the time because in June of that year King Charles I dissolved the English parliament. These days, parliament is not dissolved, merely in chaos. You dont know youve been born.Scarboroughs effect was far from instantaneous - they even use Harrogate Spa bottled water in the dressing room - and Ballances hundred was hard earned, more a statement of determination and desire than an immediate clicking of form.He confessed in April to undergoing a mental battle after his back-foot technique was analysed and this innings seemed to illustrate that. Like a well-done steak, his presence was forever imposing, but not easily digestible. He was rewarded for his determination, beginning with conscientious leg-side tucks, reaching a sedate half-century in the last over before tea and interspersing some more confident cuts as life became a little easier under blue skies in the final session.Two successive clipped boundaries off Tim Murtagh brought up his first Championship century since his 165 against Sussex at Hove last August - his only Championship hundred last season.Scarborough, holiday town or not, knew the importance of that. Like an annual elephant gathering at a favourite water hole, Yorkshire cricket fans are drawn to North Marine Road by faith and tradition, watching intently, whether the cricket is grim or adventurous, sitting in familiar seats, resuming conversations, warily looking around for signs of change and grateful not to find evidence of many - apart from the seaside landladies, who reputedly are far more genial these days.This is the chattiest of county crowds, social mistrust broken down by the sense that everybody is on vacation for an identical purpose. There was a stall here promoting the good work done by the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, but a brief walk along the popular banking is enough to soak up the essence of cricket throughout the county.Ive retired. They asked me back but my knees are knackered.Youve not got more than six all season? Youre kidding.Cant believe they called it off - it stopped raining at one oclock.It is a soulless cricketer who does not love the chance to play at Scarborough. Strange things can happen on this intimate patch of green. Mike Selvey, the Guardian correspondent, watching his beloved Middlesex on a ground he had not visited for many years, recalled dismissing Geoffrey Boycott first ball as the old curmudgeon charged and slogged him to mid-on. Research revealed it to be a 10-over Fenner Trophy match in 1979, but it sounded outlandish all the same.The sun beamed down at the start of play, but this has been the grouchiest of summers and nobody was about to be fooled. All season, coats have been donned as automatically as shoes. For everybody braving a t-shirt, there were half a dozen protected in three or four layers. The Championship table, at the mid-point of the season, remains sketchy and unformed: Yorkshire nine points behind Lancashire with a game in hand, Middlesex in third, a further two points behind.Yorkshire lost two wickets to attempted leave-alones in the morning, both of them bringing catches to the wicketkeeper, John Simpson. Adam Lyth fell first ball of the day to a seemingly innocent, wideish delivery from Tim Murtagh, the home-club boy out before many spectators had adjusted their cushions. Kane Williamson, who needed 36 balls for his first run, erred in similar fashion to James Franklin, although on this occasion against a ball of tighter line.Alex Lees brought up an attractive half-century with a six over long-off against Ollie Rayner which was confidently caught by a spectator with enough theatrical aplomb to win a walk-on part in a holiday show. Remarkably, it was his best score on home soil since September 2014.Batting first was not entirely automatic. A sluggish pitch possessed just enough encouragement for the Middlesex seamers and there was some swing, too, whenever the cloud thickened. Murtagh made best use of that in a probing post-lunch spell, having Lees caught at second slip for 63, and when Andrew Gale followed lbw to a fullish lbw from Toby Roland-Jones, Yorkshire were anxiously placed 131 for 4. Its Not Very Promising, said one woman peering out of the Ladies Toilet, although she could have been talking about the weather. People usually are.Ballance rediscovered that promise, as did the day itself. Tim Bresnan helped him shore up the innings with a sturdy half-century in a partnership that reclaimned Yorkshires authority before Murtagh, the pick of Middlesexs attack, bowled him with a decent delivery.Driving back from Scarborough across the Yorkshire Wolds on a glorious evening - and there have not been many - the landscape beyond Garrowby Hill was dazzling, and bright white clouds were interspersed so gloriously across a fresh blue sky that it was possible to imagine that no clouds of quite that form had ever been made before. Cloud-puffball, torn tufts, tossed pillows, as the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins had it, and many more shapes besides.It was as if the Yorkshire landscape had turned on a show to mark the end of some difficult times.Ballances time will come again. But perhaps not quite yet. Custom Rockets Jerseys . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Cheap Custom Rockets Jersey . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. http://www.customrocketsjersey.com/ . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. RENTON, Wash. -- Quarterback Russell Wilson announced Monday that he is joining an ownership group led by investor Chris Hansen that is working on building an NBA/NHL arena in Seattles SODO neighborhood.The groups aim is to bring the Sonics back to Seattle.Wilson wrote in The Players Tribune that he became a fan of the Sonics by playing as the team in the video game NBA Jam.I became a SuperSonics fan by playing NBA Jam and watching them on SportsCenter and NBA Inside Stuff, he wrote. I loved their name. I loved their colors. I loved [Shawn] Kemp and [Gary] Payton, and then in later years, I loved watching Ray Allen swish corner threes with that perfect form.Even though we lived in Virginia, I got a Sonics jersey one Christmas and I used to put it on and go play hoops out in front of the house, pretending I was Gary Payton.Wilson also released a statement to The Associated Press.Im blessed and excited to partner with Chris, Wally [Walker], Pete [Nordstrom] and Erik [Nordstrom] and the greatest fans in all of sports to bring the SODO arena to our beloved city, Wilson said. There is no place like the Emerald City. The positive impact sports has on our kids and many generations to come and bringing different cultures and people together is what motivates and inspires me.Hansen and his investment group announced last month that they would pay for the arena with private funds.We couldnt be more thrilled that Russell is joining our partnership and continued efforts to bring the NBA and NHL back to Seattle, Hansen said in a statement to the AP.AAs you are all aware, we have always kept our focus on doing this for the right reasons -- our love for our city, our love of basketball and our belief that pro sports has the ability to positively influence our youth and bring communities together in a way very few things in this world can. Tracy McGrady Jersey Large. It is with this shared view that we welcome Russell, a young, smart and passionate entrepreneur, as our business partner. We know that his enthusiasm, positivity and never give up attitude will make a huge difference in our effort.The Sonics left Seattle for Oklahoma City before the 2008-09 season.Its crazy to me that kids growing up in Seattle now turn on NBA 2K and they cant even play as the Sonics. It doesnt seem right that theyre gone, Wilson wrote in The Players Tribune. They were a part of my childhood, and I grew up 2,840 miles away.The NBA needs that green and gold back. Seattle needs basketball back. And hockey, too. (The Seattle Metropolitans won the Stanley Cup in 1917, in case you didnt know.)Pete Carroll was asked Monday about Wilsons involvement.He loves his community, and I think hes interested in being a part of something thats really special here, Carroll said. We all are aware of how dear it is in the hearts of the people around here, and Russell would love to be a part of something like that. I dont know any of the details. I dont know who its with or anything like that, but sounds like fun. ' ' ' 

INDIANAPOLIS -- The San Diego Chargers lost yet another impact player to injury on Sunday when inside linebacker Manti Teo left the game with an Achilles injury. Custom Soccer Jerseys Store .Teo suffered the injury in the opening quarter of the Chargers 26-22 loss to the?Indianapolis Colts?while covering running back Frank Gore out in the flat. Teo went down on his own while trying to plant and cover Gore on a pass route.Teo was not touched by another player.After being looked at by San Diegos training staff, Teo had to be helped off the field and could not put pressure on his left leg. Teo was later taken to the locker room on a cart for further evaluation. The Chargers announced he would not return because of an Achilles injury.Now in his fourth season, Teo served as the defensive playcaller and is a defensive co-captain for the Chargers. But hes had trouble staying healthy since the Chargers selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Notre Dame.Teo, 25, missed 13 games in his first three years because of various foot and ankle ailments. He shed weight during the offseason so that he could play faster and stay healthy during the regular season.Teo is the third San Diego player to suffer an Achilles injury this year. Running back Branden Oliver and tight end Jeff Cumberland both suffered Achilles tendon tears and were placed on the season-ending injured reserve list.Receiver Keenan Allen and running back Danny Woodhead also were lost for the year with ACL knee injuries. Heading into Sundays contest, the Chargers had 14 players on the teams injured reserve list. Custom AC Milan Jerseys . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Custom Soccer Jerseys China . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.customjerseyssoccer.com/ .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit.F1 in 2016 has officially begun with Ferrari giving an early tantalising glimpse of a potential head-to-head title fight with Mercedes on the opening day of Barcelona testing. Sebastian Vettel clocked a fastest time of 1:24.939 to outpace world champion Lewis Hamilton by half a second as Ferrari and Mercedes gave the full debuts to the cars which are expected to lead the way in the new season.But while Ferrari may have taken early bragging rights on the timesheet, Mercedes conquered the mileage charts with their W07 clocking an astonishing 156 laps - nearly double that of any other new car. Its been an amazing day, a beaming Hamilton said. Ive never had a Day One practice like today. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton completed 156 laps on day one of the first Barcelona Test, watch some footage of him on track in the W07. F1 in 2016: The new cars revealedLap times in testing are notoriously unreliable indicators of true form and Ferrari have topped Day One of testing in each of the last two years only for Mercedes to dominate the season. Vettels best time - which, like Hamiltons, was set on the medium tyres - was two seconds slower than the fastest of winter testing 12 months ago but was also just 0.3 seconds shy of the pole position time for last Mays Spanish GP. However, Nico Rosberg, who takes over the W07 from Hamilton on Tuesday, believes the Ferrari threat has grown.Ferrari are looking strong already and definitely we are expecting them to be a big threat, Rosberg told Sky Sports News HQ. It would be great if Ferrari are very, very close to us so long as they are never in front of us!Team boss Toto Wolff added: Were very happy that Ferrari look like they have a great car because that could be a great battle between the teams. Changes have been made to cars to make them louder but F1 expert Ted Kravitz thinks it still wont please some fans The new Ferrari and Mercedes cars ended up clear of the pack on the timesheet, with Daniel Ricciardo third in the Red Bull RB12 and Valtteri Bottas fourth in Williams FW38. Custom Soccer Jerseys Sale. nevitably, after the teams worst season in history, plenty of eyes were on McLaren and engine partners Honda as the MP4-31 made its track debut at the Circuit de Catalunya. Twelve months after the tone of the teams season was set when its predecessor completed a disastrous six laps on day one at Jerez, the new car proved far more reliable out of the box with Jenson Button able to rack up 83 laps.However, team boss Eric Boullier earlier sounded a note of caution by stating that their performance was not good enough during the morning session. Button finished sixth and 1.8 seconds off the Ferrari pace - despite using the faster soft compound.Newcomers Haas, meanwhile, ran into more fundamental problems as their first F1 car, the VF-16, made its long-awaited debut. The Ferrari-engined machine suffered a front-wing failure down the circuits main straight, keeping Romain Grosjean in the garage for several hours. The Frenchman returned in the closing stages and finished 10th with 31 laps.After a delayed start, new Mercedes engine customers Manor wound up ninth with rookie Pascal Wehrlein - although it was a less successful day for fellow newcomer Jolyon Palmer whose Renault ran into problems and propped up the timesheet.Day One Timesheet1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1:24.939, 69 laps;2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:25.409, 156 laps;3. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1:26.044, 87 laps;4. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:26.091, 80 laps;5. Alfonso Celis, Force India, 1:26.298, 58 laps;6. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:26.735, 84 laps7. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, 1:27.180, 55 laps;8. Marcus Ericson, Sauber, 1:27.555, 88 laps;9. Pascal Wehrlein, Manor, 1:28.292, 54 laps;10. Romain Grosjean, Haas, 1:28.399, 31 laps;11. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, 1:29.356, 37 laps.F1 is back: The best pictures of the cars on track in BarcelonaKeep up to speed with all the latest news, pictures and video from all eight days of F1 testing via the daily live blog on the Sky Sports website and mobile apps. Sky Sports News HQ will also broadcast regular updates from trackside in Barcelona. Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Also See: F1 gossip column Every 2016 race live ' ' ' 

Ahead of Round 3 of the Aviva Premiership, we bring you all the team news. Wholesale Custom Grizzlies Shirts .?Sale Sharks vs. Gloucester?AJ Bell Stadium, Friday, 1945 (BST)Steve Diamond makes one change for Sale with Cameron Neild coming in to replace the injured TJ Ioane at flanker. Peter Stringer is set to make his first appearance of the season, if called off the bench. If Sale win, it will be their 200th in the Premiership.?Gloucester make three changes: Joe Latta makes his first full Premiership start, Lewis Ludlow replaces Ross Moriarty at blindside flanker and the one change in the back line sees Mark Atkinson start in place of Billy Twelvetrees.Bath Rugby vs Worcester WarriorsRecreation Ground, Saturday, 1500Leroy Houston is back in the Bath line-up after his short-term move from the Reds while Henry Thomas starts at tight-head. Matt Banahan and Dan Bowden link up in the centres with Anthony Watson returning on the wing.Worcester hand a debut to academy fullback Jamie Shillcock while Perry Humphreys is also handed a start on the wing. Tom Heathcote is handed the fly-half spot with Carl Kirwan coming into the pack for the suspended Alafoti Faosiliva.?Exeter Chiefs vs. HarlequinsSandy Park, Saturday, 1500Exeter draft Mitch Lees into the pack for Damian Welch while Gareth Steenson gets his first start of the season at fly-half. Henry Slade moves to inside centre at the expense of Sam Hill, while Olly Woodburn returns on the wing with Lachie Turner moving to fullback in place of the injured Phil Dollman.For Harlequins?Mike Brown, Winston Stanley, Charlie Walker and Tim Swiel make their first starts of the season behind an unchanged pack.?Saracens vs. Northampton SaintsAllianz Park, Saturday, 1500Michael Rhodes starts in Saracens back-row with Jackson Wray dropping to the bench. Chris Wyles gets the nod on the wing with Sean Maitland on the bench.?Dylan Hartley misses out for Northampton with Mikey Haywood starting at hooker.?Newcastle Falcons vs. Leicester TigersKingston Park, Sunday, 1500Ally Hogg is drafted in at No.8 for Newcastle in a reshuffled pack which sees Mark Wilson move to blind-side flanker and Evan Olmstead shifted to the second row in place of Will Witty. Dominic Waldouck and Sam Lockwood also start.?Ben Youngs, Telusa Veainu and Owen Williams return to the Leicester Tigers backline while England duo Ellis Genge and Dan Cole join former Newcastle hooker George McGuigan in the front-row. Graham Kitchener returns at lock while Mike Williams is included at flanker.Wasps vs. Bristol RugbyRicoh Arena, Sunday, 1430Wasps have James Gaskell back in the starting line up but Joe Launchbury misses out through injury. Jake Cooper-Woolley starts at tighthead, with Marty Moore missing out due to a calf strain. Alex Rieder and Frank Halai are also drafted in while Kyle Eastmond is on the bench.?Bristol make seven changes with Jordan Williams and USA international Thretton Palamo starting in the backline for Bristol while Ryan Bevington is given the nod in the front-row. Elsewhere Anthony Perenise also starts while Bristol-born trio Olly Robinson, Joe Joyce and Mitch Eadie get the nod. Custom Allen Iverson Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Custom Grizzlies Jersey China . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. http://www.customgrizzliesjersey.com/ .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. HOUSTON -- In the never-ending search for early-season trends that might serve as an indicator of long-term behavior, the Houston Rockets followed their fifth loss of the season on Wednesday night with a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers one evening later to avoid suffering their first losing skid on the season.The Rockets (7-5), with a new coach and reconfigured roster, remain in search of consistency. Yet, their ability to rebound from setbacks offers optimism, particularly this week given the disappointment that resonated after their come-from-ahead loss against Oklahoma City. Houston led by as many as 11 points before falling 105-103.Were still fairly new as a team, said Rockets guard James Harden, who followed a season-worst 13-point performance against the Thunder with his third triple-double of the season against Portland. Were still trying to figure each other out. As long as we can bounce back and continue to get better, continue to grow and learn from our mistakes, well be all right.Through victory and defeat the Rockets, who host the Utah Jazz (7-6) on Saturday at Toyota Center, are working to establish their identity. They fancy themselves as a space-and-pace outfit yet they rank a modest 14th in the NBA in pace at 97.2 possessions per 48 minutes. They are fifth in offensive rating and are coming off back-to-back games where seven and six players reached double figures in scoring.With the return of guard Patrick Beverley, Houston aims to improve defensively. What theyve shown through a dozen games is a willingness to work at everything.Were going to make some mistakes and we still have some improving to do, Rockets coach Mike DAntonni said. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys. As long as they come with that attitude every day and work at it and fix their mistakes, then good things will happen.Injuries continue to undermine the Jazz, who followed a successful five-game swing through the Eastern Conference with consecutive home losses. Utah went 4-1 before returning home and dropping games against the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls, with the absences of guard George Hill (thumb) and forward Derrick Favors (knee) looming large.Weve had a lot of guys adjusting to injury, Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. Theres a lot of that going on.I dont want to overreact to one player playing poorly or our team playing poorly. That doesnt get you where you want to go.Without Hill, who has missed six games, the Jazz can appear rudderless. Utah was emboldened by the return of forward Gordon Hayward to open their road trip but Hill provides a veteran touch orchestrating the offense that isnt easily replaced.Second-year guard Dante Exum has started the last four games in place of Hill and over the previous six games is averaging nine points and two assists while shooting just 40.8 percent. Prior to his injury, Hill was averaging 20.4 points and five assists.Incidentally, Utah ranks dead last in the NBA in pace at 90.6 possessions per 48. Hill is questionable for a return against the Rockets, but with or without him Utah must find the rhythm it established on the road only to lose it back in Salt Lake City.Were going to go on this two-game road trip and hopefully get the best of that, Exum said. ' ' ' 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- You could call them the Comeback Kids, but the Vancouver Canucks hope to discard that nickname soon. Cheap Custom Lightning Jersey .The Canucks (7-10-1) have come back to win three of their past five games, and most others have required -- often unsuccessful -- rally attempts.But the Canucks are looking to develop a different storyline Saturday when they host the Chicago Blackhawks (12-4-2) at Rogers Arena.Wed like to come in and get the lead and maintain the lead, which would be nice, defenseman Ben Hutton said. But coming from behind just shows the character in this locker room.Vancouvers last two wins have come in overtime. Hutton was the hero on Thursday as he scored on a penalty shot in OT to give the Canucks a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Markus Granlund scored the extra-time winner two games ago, on Sunday, as the Canucks rallied to beat the Dallas Stars.Rather than delivering on comebacks, the Canucks would prefer to stage a comeuppance -- as in a climb up the standings from the NHLs nether regions.Since winning their first four games of the season, the Canucks have not managed to win two in a row. The three aforementioned wins are the only victories that they have posted in their past 14 games.Accordingly, defenseman Erik Gudbranson hopes that the huge win over Arizona -- a team at the bottom of the NHL standings -- will spark some badly needed momentum as the Canucks conclude a four-game homestand against the Blackhawks.We need to start somewhere, Gudbranson said. We need to put something together. Were passionate about winning. We want to win here.We dont want to feel like those guys that have to bury their heads at the grocery store and feel embarrassed. We want to be good every single night. There is a lot of character in this dressing room. We are constantly pushing ourselves.The usual push will need to be much bigger against the Blackhawks, who lead the Central Division despite having integrated six first-year players into their lineup. The Blackhawks have points in 12 of their past 13 games.Winners of three Stanley Cups since 2010, they are succeeding at rebuilding on the fly -- something the Canucks have also sought but struggled to do. Canucks coach Willie Desjardins, whose future with the team has been discussed less often this week, hopes their recent success will boost their chances against the Blackhawks.We are starting to get a few wins, Desjardins said. It should give us a little life going against Chicago. Chicago will play hard, and we know they are a real good team. I think we will come to the rink and have a good performance.Fatigue could be a factor as the Blackhawks play the second of back-to-back games after Fridays 3-2 victory in Calgary. But the Blackhawks could get energy from a comeback story of their own.Rookie winger Vinnie Hinostroza is expected to return to Chicagos lineup after recovering quickly from concussion suffered Tuesday in a collision with Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey. According to Honotroza and coach Joel Quenneville, the player passed the leagues concussion protocol.Anytime youre dealing with your head, its a scary thing, so you want to be patient, Hinostroza told the Chicago Tribune. But, luckily, it was a quick turnaround. Usually, its a bit longer. We had a nice two days off there, so I kind of just laid in bed, didnt move. I feel good now.Hinostroza, a 22-year-old Bartlett, Ill., native, was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round (169th overall) of the 2012 NHL entry draft and has spent most of the past two seasons in the minors, except seven games with Chicago last season. He had been playing on a line with stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane before being sidelined.The rookie does not think his recent inactivity will slow him down.Obviously, two days laying in bed, you get a bit out of shape, Hinostroza told the Chicago Tribune. But you get in shape quick here.Meanwhile, the Blackhawks hope their seven-game Circus Trip -- so dubbed because it occurs each November when Barnum and Bailey and Ringley Bros. take over the United Center -- will enable Hinostroza and other young players to bond with the rest of the team.The trip started poorly with a 4-0 loss in Winnipeg, but the Blackhawks rebounded with their victory over the Flames on Friday night.We want these guys to come together as teammates, general manager Stan Bowman told ESPN.com this week. Right now, they dont know each other all that well.A win in Vancouver, where the teams somewhat dormant rivalry still stokes ill will, could further strengthen the relationships. A victory could also help the Blackhawks improve on a so-so road record that contrasts sharply with their 8-1-2 home mark.This (road trip) is going to be a good benchmark for us as a team, Bowman said.If the Canucks want to discard their nickname, they will have to pay close attention to Chicago winger Marian Hossa, 37, who has five goals in his last six games and is tied for fourth in the league behind Patrik Laine (12), Sidney Crosby (11) and Michael Grabner (11). Hossa scored the controversial winning goal on Friday as he fell into Flames goaltender Brian Elliott.I just try to put the puck at the net right now, Hossa told reporters afterward. When you feel like the pucks going in for you, you just try to be around the net or shoot pucks to the net and try to make plays.Canucks G Ryan Miller, who missed Thursdays win with the flu, has been deemed healthy again. As a result, rookie G Michael Garteig was returned to Utica of the American Hockey League on Friday. Custom Lightning Jersey China .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Vincent Lecavalier Jersey Large . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. http://www.customlightningjersey.com/ . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods.Stephen Curry lived up to his billing as he led Golden State to a 125-121 win over Portland and a place in the Western Conference finals. A day after becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history Curry returned from injury to inspire a Warriors victory and an unassailable 4-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.Currys haul of 29 points and 11 assists included five three-pointers, the last of them sealing the win with 24.9 seconds on the clock and ensuring Golden States second straight trip to the finals. Klay Thompson outscored his star team-mate on the night with six three-pointers and 33 in total, while Damian Lillard scored 28 points and CJ McCollum had 27 for the Trail Blazers.In the nights other game, Toronto beat Miami 99-91 to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-final series. Custom Lightning T-shirts. All Star guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry scored 59 points between them to answer criticism of their play-off performances.Theyre our guys, we can disparage them all we want to, and talk about their shooting, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. But again you dont forget how to score the basketball.Its going to come back, you hope its within the series. But its going to come back. We have faith in those guys. They carried us the entire season. Not one time did we doubt their ability to score the basketball, nor did their team-mates. Also See: Rankings Video NBA results/fixtures Get Sky Sports ' ' ' 

LOS ANGELES -- The streaking Clippers are playing with purpose. Cheap Broncos Jerseys . Even after handling a quality opponent, they hardly sounded satisfied.Chris Paul had 26 points and 12 assists, Blake Griffin also scored 26 and Los Angeles beat the Toronto Raptors 123-115 on Monday night in a matchup of early-season division leaders.We got stops early in the beginning of the second half and got in transition and got buckets, Griffin said. We havent been as good in the last three games in my opinion, but its still great to start out like this.DeAndre Jordan added 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who improved the NBAs best record to 13-2 with their 10th victory in 11 games.J.J. Redick scored 20 points as Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak to Toronto. Jamal Crawford had 12 and Luc Mbah a Moute chipped in with 10.We still have to be better. There was a lot of turnovers, fouls, and we gave up easy buckets for Toronto down the stretch, Paul said.The Clippers led by 17 in the second half but the Raptors cut the margin to 119-115 on a 3-pointer by Kyle Lowry with less than a minute to play.Redick made four free throws down the stretch to seal it.We scrapped and fought and didnt lay down even after what happened to us last night, Toronto coach Dwane Casey said, referring to a close loss at Sacramento that ended with a disputed call.We got enough offense but until we improve on defense and get stops, we arent going anywhere. It seems like every game we play lately is an offensive slugfest.Lowry led Toronto with 27 points and DeMar DeRozan, averaging 31.4 per game, added 25. Jonas Valanciunas scored 15 for the Raptors.The Clippers outrebounded Toronto 42-32.Blake is doing everything for us. The fact that he can bring the ball up and make decisions gives us another dimension offensively, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said.It was the second time this season Toronto (8-6) dropped both ends of back-to-back games. The Raptors, who played for the fifth time in seven nights, have lost four of five.The teams traded 10-0 runs late in the second quarter. Redicks three free throws with less than a second remaining gave the Clippers a 54-45 lead at halftime.TIP-INSRaptors: Lowry, DeRozan and Jordan were teammates on the 2016 USA Olympic Mens Basketball team that won the gold medal in Rio.Clippers: Entering the game, Los Angeles led the NBA with a plus-13.7 points per game differential over its opponents and was second in the league in scoring defense, giving up 95.4 points per game. ... F Wesley Johnson returned after missing the previous five games with an injured left heel. He played 12 minutes and had three rebounds. ... Jordan shot 9 of 14 on free throws and has made 1,007 in his career.CAMEROON CONNECTIONMbah a Moute and Raptors F Pascal Siakam are two of the three active NBA players from Cameroon. The game marked the first time in league history two players from Cameroon faced each other.CONTROVERSIAL CALLAt the end of Sunday nights Toronto-Sacramento game, Terrence Ross 3-pointer at the buzzer off an inbounds play would have sent the game to overtime, but after a replay review the basket was disallowed and the Raptors lost 102-99. The play was ruled a clock malfunction because the inbounds pass was deflected, and officials said the clock should have started once the ball was touched.I thought it was unfair. I think the game is human error. I dont think you should be able to go over and look at the clock and do that, Rivers said. I thought it was awful. I really do. I know they, meaning the league, came back and said it was the right call, but I still disagree. If they reviewed every play, our games would take 16 hours.Casey wasnt seeking any sympathy.Sometimes bad things happen in life to you. Its how you bounce back after a game like that that counts. There are 29 other teams that dont feel sorry for us, he said.UNMATCHED PRODUCTIONPaul is the only NBA player since 1983-84 with 120 assists, 42 steals and only 28 turnovers in the first 14 games of a season.UP NEXTRaptors: Toronto continues a five-game road trip, its second-longest of the season, on Wednesday at Houston. The Raptors are winless in their last nine visits to Houston.Clippers: Los Angeles embarks on a six-game road trip with its first stop in Dallas on Wednesday. The Clippers are 6-0 away from home, the longest road winning streak to start a season in franchise history. Cheap Custom Broncos Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Custom Noah Fant Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. http://www.custombroncosjersey.com/ . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. VYSOKY UJEZD, Czech Republic -- Ryan Evans shot a 6-under 66 to take the first round lead at the Czech Masters on Thursday.The 29-year-old Englishman, who is seeking his first European Tour title, birdied the 18th to finish one stroke ahead of defending champion Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Peter Hanson of Sweden at the Albatross Golf Resort near Prague.Theres a first time for everything, Evans said. Im not going to think about it too much tomorrow, Im just going to stick to the game plan.Coming off a fourth-place finish at the Olympic course in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Pieters opened with four birdies on the back nine and surged to a 7 under after two straight birdies on the fifth and sixth holes. But he fell back after a double bogey on the eighth.Im little disappointed how I finished. But all in all its a good score, Pieters said.Hanson, who produced a flawlless round with five birdies, said: Im very happy with my game, it felt solid today. Noah Fant Jersey Large. A group of seven -- Craig Lee and Scott Jamieson of Scotland, Jeff Winther of Denmark, Welshman Bradley Dredge, Englands Robert Coles and Graeme Storm, and Swede Robert Karlsson -- was one stroke back after carding 68.Englishman Lee Westwood, who hopes to be a wildcard pick for the European Ryder Cup team, shot 70.Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick, who is currently in the last spot for the automatic Ryder Cup qualifying, finished with a 3-under 69.His fellow countryman Andy Sullivan, who is also contention for the matchup against the United States at Hazeltine, ended the round with four bogeys and a double-bogey for a disappointing 3-over 75. ' ' ' 

David Jones is joined by Jamie Redknapp and Thierry Henry as Aston Villa fall closer towards the Championship with a 1-0 defeat at Swansea. Cheap Nike Shoes Free Shipping . Federico Fernandez scored the only goal of the game to leave Aston Villa 12 points from safety with seven games remaining in the Premier League. SNF Podcast Listen to this weeks podcast here! Listen to all Sky Sports football podcasts and subscribe each week via iTunes. Also See: Premier League video Fixtures Table Live on Sky Deals Nike Shoes .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. Cheap Nike Shoes China . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. http://www.shoesnikewholesale.com/ . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. The Philadelphia Eagles entered Sunday with a 2-0 record and a lot of questions surrounding them.They appeared to answer most of those in a 34-3 rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers.But theres still one question, now that the Carson Wentz-led team is 3-0. This weeks SportsNation #PulseOfTheNation asks:The Eagles have wins over the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and those aforementioned Steelers, each arguably more impressive than the last. Theyre led by first-year head coach Douug Pederson, who has put his faith in No. Cheap Air Max Black Friday 2019. 2 overall pick Wentz.Wentz has five touchdown passes and no interceptions in his first three starts. The defense has allowed just 27 points in three games.The Eagles have won their first three games by 10-plus points each. The last two times they did that, they went on to reach the Super Bowl. ' ' ' 

One Olympic golf tournament down, one to go after Justin Rose took home the gold in Rio on Sunday and the womens event gets set to tee on Wednesday. Custom Brooks Robinson Jersey .So how has golfs return to the Olympics gone so far? And how could the International Olympic Committee and the International Golf Federation improve the sports in the Olympics for Tokyo in 2020? Our panel analyzes those topics and more in this weeks edition of Monday Four-Ball.1. What grade would you give golfs return to the Olympics?SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie: C. The great finish between major championship winners Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose saved what otherwise was an average format and below-average field. Having said that, I think Sunday might have piqued the interest of some of the top players who decided not play in Rio.SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: To me, I have to give it an A-minus. The positives are obvious. Great golf course and great crowds. And I was seriously blown away by how much the players not only bought into playing for a gold medal, but bought into supporting the other events. The only reason I take a little bit off was because of what the tournament could not control -- not having all of the top players in Rio. It was great with Rose and Stenson at the top, but it could have been better. Bottom line: Its going to continue to grow.ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: C-plus. While golf fans might have found it great to have every round of the tournament on from start to finish, having it on the same channel as every other golf tournament ultimately hurt. Wasnt the goal to bring new eyes to the game? It was great to hear how excited a player was for finishing third, which in a normal event never happens.ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: Solid B. And thats much better than the failing grade so many expected. Missing so many of the top players hurt. Imagine the potential if any number of those players had been in Rio. But the players who were here loved it, the fans turned out, the golf course was solid, and Justin Rose provided a great ending.ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel: Based on all the doom and gloom scenarios that had been predicted ahead of time and the absence of the worlds top-four players, I thought the final product was an A-plus affair. Sure, there are still improvements which can, and will, be made for next time, but for its first time back in the Olympics in 112 years, everything about it felt like a huge success.2. What would you do different for golf in the 2020 Olympics?Barrie: At some point, the team format has to come into play. Its what makes the Ryder Cup so special. Figure out a format that brings in the team element and match play, then I think youd have a format that golfers would be interested in playing. Id also move the PGA Championship to the end of August, just before Labor Day, to avoid the schedule jam to accommodate the Olympics.Coachman: This one is easy. I want it to feel like it is a team effort. Make all four days different as twosomes. Four-ball, then foursomes, then scramble and then stroke-play on Sunday. Add it all up and you have a winner. I think that would be terrific and exciting all the way to the end. And it would make every stroke matter.Collins: Multiple medals. There should be a mixed, team, and individual event at worst. More medals and broadcast on different channels. If golf is getting the boot from the Olympics anyway, which it might in 2017, than go out with a bang.Harig: Several things. The schedule needs to be more conducive to players, who are incredibly busy. With the Games in Tokyo in late July, golfs various tours will face some of the same issues they had this year. Now they know the fallout and need to get ahead of it. Adding a team component also would add to the intrigue. All it would take is to pulling together aggregate scores for two players per country. Its still stroke play. Its still the same tournament. But that would be some added allure.Sobel: There will be a team aspect four years from now. I dont know this for sure, because nothing has been decided yet, but Id be shocked if it doesnt happen. Im not sure if itll still be stroke-play or how the teams will work or whether theyll mix genders like tennis, but I cant imagine there wont be an implementation of a team competition going forward.3. What are you expecting from the womens Olympic golf event this week?Barrie: Nine of the top 10 women in the world are competing in Rio. So my guess is youll have a much more major championship type feel to it, with the star power that decided to compete.Coachman: I am expecting a lot. Unlike the guys, most all of the top-ranked women are in Rio and it definitely helps that they got to see the men play. This course clearly brought the cream to the top and I expect the same from the ladies. They have always completely embraced anything that has to do with playing for country, whichever country that is.Collins: I expect it to start out just like any other tournament with little fanfare on other channels covering the Olympics. Im hopeful something spectacular happens that will force people watching the Games to switch over and see what all the fuss is about.Harig: This was always expected to be the more compelling event, with nearly every player fully invested. It is hard to believe it will be anything less.Sobel: I expect it to combine the drama of a major with the passion of the Solheim Cup. Unlike the men, nearly all of the qualified women have decided to compete this week. This means something to them -- and I think the best of the best will rise to the occasion.4. Whos your favorite to win the womens Olympic golf event in Rio?Barrie: Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson are the easy favorites, being ranked No. 1 and 2 in the world. But dont be surprised if the USAs Lexi Thompson sneaks her way into a gold medal as the highest ranked American in the field.Coachman: I am going with the current No. 1 player in the world, Lydia Ko. The reasons are many. She has quietly created this dominance in the big events. When they began playing for the CME Globe, Ko started using it as her own personal playground. She will do the same at the Olympics. I feel like when something new and big comes into the world game, she wants her name on it first. That will not change this week in Rio.Collins: This is one spot where the big three (Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson and Ariya Jutanugarn) should ultimately shine. Because of the windy conditions, Ill take Jutanugarn as the favorite. Her past nine starts have included four wins, a runner-up and a third-place finish.Harig: Lydia Ko. Given her record, it is difficult to pick against her.Sobel: Isnt Lydia Ko the favorite for every big womens tournament these days? Id enlist her at the top this week, but that doesnt mean shell win. Instead, give me a fiery competitor whos no stranger to international events. That sounds like Stacy Lewis to me. Jim Palmer Jersey Large .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Custom Jim Palmer Jersey . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. http://www.customoriolesjersey.com/custom-roberto-alomar-jersey-large-168a.html .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. This Sunday, thousands of runners took to the streets to run the 46th (40th since it went to five boroughs) New York City Marathon.When the race left the confines of Central Park in 1976, founder Fred Lebow immediately recognized the event had forever changed, morphing from a mere competitive morning run in a park to a city-wide event that strung together various communities, even if it was initially set against a backdrop of high crime and financial ruin.Since then, runners from around the world -- be they Olympians or weekend warriors -- have flocked to the event, and a record 51,388 hit the streets Sunday.The logistics of getting that many runners ready to race are staggering: A years worth of coordinating volunteers, security, bag drops, ferry and bus schedules. And that says nothing about the amount of coffee and carbohydrates consumed well before the start pistol is fired.While fans and runners are familiar with the scene on the ground, heres a look at the race from above.Staten IslandMile 0The start line is a hub where announcers pump runners up, with cinematic helicopters chopping overhead. Its not uncommon for runners to strike up conversations with each other, a forced meeting of like-minded pacing partners, as theyre stuck in corrals for what seems like an eternity. Its the most packed part of the race, and on colder years, a welcome, cozy fraternity. Others runners, however, are just eager to break out on their own and maintain stoic smiles.It was rough. When theres that big of a group, its tough because everyone is running a different pace, so everyone is excited. I saw Sean Austin and Tiki Barber at the beginning!Chris OstoichMile 1Fans of Robert Caros The Power Broker know that the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was among the last public works projects of Robert Moses, one of New Yorks most distinctive historical figures, but the bridge has long been tied to the first part of the race. The bridge is one of the most challenging chunks of race terrain. At its foot are throngs of portable bathrooms, coffee stations, and runners clad in extra layers, stretching out on the grass and pretending not to be nervous.The wind is really hard, actually. I tried to be patient and hide behind people. ... You might get discouraged because you think the rest of the race is like that, but immediately, when you come off the bridge, the conditions change. Its not so comfortable running that first mile. Its significant.Luciano MedinaMile 1The course barely graces Staten Island, but the Verrazano-Narrows is a preview of grit that will be needed later in the race. While named for the 16th-century Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano (the bridge is actually spelled wrong with only one z), and inspiring in its massive towers and suspension cables, this is the part of the race where even the kindest runners may dismiss majesty and elbow each other to carve out space in the pack.BrooklynMile 2After the solitude of leaving Staten Island, Fourth Avenue is the introduction to New Yorks neighborhood culture. From Bay Ridge, where block parties and Saturday Night Fever references run high, the course shoots up Sunset Park and through cozy Park Slope, where family-friendly cheer stations adorn the course. By late morning, the roads leading up to Atlantic Avenue are packed, and many fan squads come armed with mimosas and encouraging posters.Those crowds there, they totally carried me through ... Brooklyn was so exciting. There were so many more people than I thought there would be and so much neighborhood pride. Its not like that in the city. It was cool to see all the different cultural parts of the city.Hunter SapienzaMile 3What many runners dont realize as they leave the Verrazano Bridge is that 35 UPS trucks are already in motion, schlepping participant bags from start to finish. At this point, many runners have shed layers of clothing, which will fill eight additional UPS trucks. Some make it a tradition to shed clothing they no simply longer want, garb from exes, old employers or other symbolic gestures of things that will be left behind as they take to the race. The pieces will then be donated to charity.Mile 6Staging the marathon involved the work of more than 160 full-time New York Road Runners staffers; 12,000 volunteers (10,000 of them on race day alone); 40,800 Power Bars; 60,000 8-ounce bottles and 1,200 16.9-ounce bottles of water; and 16,000 Gatorade Prime packets. Those numbers may seem staggering, but runners are going to need provisions for the epic course ahead.Its reasonably flat, but its a good place to settle into your pace, the crowds. Its a perfect time to find a rhythm.Marie BrumelotMile 6By Fourth Avenue, most runners have hit their stride but still know they have 20 miles to go. Park Slope, however, boasts a robust running community centered around the loop of Prospect Park, so runners can expect many sympathetic souls here. There are offerings of Vaseline to help alleviate friction burns, fluids, and even the occasional banana or granola bar to keep fuel in the tank. (There are at least 38 medical stations along the course, where 12,530 pounds of ice and 14,000 bandages will be put to use. Custom Orioles T-shirts. Mile 9Fort Greene is traditionally where director and unofficial New York City mascot Spike Lee watches the race. (Lee served as the races grand marshal in 2015.) The Brooklyn Music School was stationed here this year, a fan-favorite of the 150 bands the New York Road Runners place along the course. Runners at the front of the pack bemoan some of the twists and turns around here, but the canopy of trees can provide relief from the wind or heat.QueensMile 15Fans are not permitted on the Queensboro Bridge, giving the passage a profound silence only punctuated by the cheers of other runners. In some ways, this is the most hopeless part of the course -- far enough in for the body to feel it and far enough from the finish line to feel despair. The wind can pick up here, but locals particularly relish the chance to run the bridge and barge into Manhattan without any car traffic.The course thins out and if youre not focused, you might get discouraged. You see people dropping out and walking. It can be tempting especially if youre going through a hard patch. I took it in, I felt good and wasnt going to let that distract me. I was going to run the whole distance.Luciano MedinaManhattanMile 17After the solitude of the Queensborough Bridge, runners gratefully enter a huge group of fans. The crowd is so encouraging, however, that many make the mistake of powering too hard down First Avenue, forgetting that the Bronx and the hook down Fifth Avenue remain. Marathon Day has long been one of the biggest Sundays for the bar business in the area.Then it gets tough. When you get that uphill mile, the last 5K is really painful. At mile 22 you have all those people cheering. Its exciting, but the last 5K is hell.Marie BrumelotThe BronxMile 21The marathon barely touches the Bronx, and historically, it has been one of the most sparsely populated fan spots, but thats changing with fans and local musicians now staking out some of the most brutal stretches of the race. Its the mile when the race really begins for many runners, and is home to another New York Road Runners race, the Bronx 10-Mile, a popular run for local marathoners. Theres no shortage of Yankee spirit on this leg of the course, either.They had a huge sign that said Welcome to the wall and I noticed some people walking, and my goal was to not walk. I could see it hitting a lot of people.Michelle RaffertyManhattanMile 23As the course barrels down from the Bronx back to Manhattan, the race really begins for runners -- and the crowd knows it. Its a favorite spot for cheering against the backdrop of some of the worlds most stunning museums and murals. However, some of the hills in and around Central Park can throw even the most experienced runners.That was, you come to that hill in Central Park and you think, Geez! I had never run it and it went on forever and you still cant see the finish. Thats where you have to dig deep. Once you get on top of that hill and turns into the park, then its a nice place to roll.Brentley WeberMile 26In one of distance runnings more cruel acts, theres a slight incline on the very last piece of the marathon. Some sprint, some jog, some crawl, but at this point, runners know theyre almost home. Fans know it, too -- the scene here is usually complete pandemonium adorned by Central Park foliage.I coach and tell people thats where the race begins and you have to dig deep. You cant really train for those last few miles. Its about how bad you want it, how tough you are mentally. Thats where you show teeth. Try to get behind someone, let them do the work. Its a very tough mile.Luciano MedinaMile 26.2After the Boston Marathon bombings, security at the finish line was heightened, and only ticketed fans are permitted in the grandstands. Still, much work has gone into retaining the finish lines history, including a statue of Fred Lebow that looks on nearby (usually covered in flowers, race bibs and sneakers on race day). Music blares, and announcers cheer on runners as they make their way across, but many participants are too tired to care about the details.It was a bit harder than I thought. Ive run in Central Park several times, but I forgot about the hill at the end. So it was hard to push! Normally I have some power to sprint, but not this time...This was much better than mile 21.Oddivar SolvoldMile 26.2Tears, high-fives, and collapses in the grass are all considered fair game beyond the 26.2-mile marker, and all those are expected. Friends and family must wait beyond the corralled finish area, making it a pen reserved chiefly for those who know blisters and shin splints first-hand. Volunteers offer bananas, water, blankets, smiles and hard-earned medals. And overheard is a question baffling to some: So, what about next year?It was so badass.Chris Ostoich ' ' ' 

Canada will have to do without the second-leading NHL point producer from last season when the World Cup of Hockey tournament begins Sept. Custom Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys . 17, as Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn is out of the tournament recovering from offseason surgery.But Canadas depth of talent is so great that it has replaced Benn with the leading point producer in the playoffs: San Jose Sharks winger Logan Couture.Benn, 27, was second to scoring champion Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks with 89 points last season. Benn was third in the league with 41 goals. The Stars captain underwent offseason surgery to correct a core muscle injury.He had expected to be fully recovered in time for the start of the tournament in mid-September.Benn won an Olympic gold medal with Canada in Sochi in 2014.Couture, 27, led all playoff performers with 30 points as his San Jose Sharks were defeated in six games in the Stanley Cup Finals by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Authentic Custom NFL Jerseys . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Custom Football Shirts Outlet . PAUL, Minn. http://www.customcheapfootballjerseys.com/ . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. The SEC is perceived as the benchmark in college football. The league has won eight of the past 10 national championships. Its produced 47 first-round picks over the last five years, nearly twice as many as any other conference. And yet, when it comes to quarterbacks, the SEC has fallen behind the curve.Of those 47 first-round picks, guess how many were quarterbacks? One. Johnny Manziel was the lone SEC signal caller to be taken in the first round since 2011. In that same time period, the Big 12 and Pac-12 each have had three chosen in the first round.Cam Newton, last years NFL MVP, is an obvious success story. And Matthew Stafford has carved out a solid career. But for every Newton and Stafford, there seem to be more who havent translated to the next level.Why hasnt the SEC produced more elite quarterbacks?Im not sure, Florida coach Jim McElwain said. I know those two you mentioned [Newton and Stafford] - theyre pretty damn good.But that doesnt really answer the question. And this year, outside of a couple spots, there is more uncertainty at the position than ever.When ESPN ranked the top 100 players in the country earlier this month, only two SEC quarterbacks -- Chad Kelly and Joshua Dobbs -- made the cut. And neither Kelly nor Dobbs made Mel Kiper Jr.s most recent Big Board or Todd McShays Way-too-early 2017 NFL Mock Draft.It was also telling that there were only three quarterbacks - Kelly, Dobbs and Texas A&Ms Trevor Knight - at this years SEC media days. Compare that to 2013 when nine quarterbacks attended the leagues media days.Again, where are the elite quarterbacks in the SEC?Thats a great question, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. Im really not for sure.Good is good enoughDo SEC teams really need elite quarterbacks to succeed? Alabama has won four of the last seven national championships, and not of one those title teams had a quarterback that was taken in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.Nick Saban has found a way to win without a star under center.The quarterback is not the centerpiece of the offense, former Alabama signal caller Greg McElroy said. The quarterback is a facilitator. And thats not to water down what the quarterbacks job is. The quarterbacks job is to make every other one of the 10 guys on the field with him better. That is the job of the Alabama quarterback.A lot of people say, They dont put up numbers. Anybody can play there. Thats not really true because some people dont maximize the talent of the people around them.The other key stat that stands out about all three of Alabamas championship-winning quarterbacks is the amount of interceptions they threw. McElroy threw only four in 2009. A.J. McCarron threw five in 2011 and just three the next year in 2012. Jake Coker threw eight last year, but he only threw one in the teams final seven games.SEC quarterbacks might not always have the perfect builds or the strongest arms. But on almost every one of the leagues best teams over the years, there was a Connor Shaw or an Aaron Murray or a James Franklin who knew how to take care of the football.If every drive ends in a kick then you have a real chance in winning the game, McElroy said. Whether that be a punt, an extra point or a field goal, as long as the other team has to go the length of the field, then you have a chance.The game is changingIs Nick Marshall an elite quarterback? In terms of NFL ability, he wasnt even close. He went undrafted, and eventually made the Jacksonville Jaguars as a cornerback.But ask any SEC coach, and hell sing a different tune. Thats because most of those coaches were shredded by Marshall and the Auburn offense. He could beat you with his arm. He could beat with you his legs. And when the play broke down and you thought you had him, thats when he was at his best.Sometimes, thats exactly what SEC teams need at the quarterback position.I know that week in and week out in thhis league, youre going to play against the best defenses, the best defensive lines, Malzahn said. Stitched Custom NFL Jerseys. In this league, things break down probably more than other leagues, maybe more than all [other leagues] combined. And youve got to have a guy that can make plays on his own when things break down and protect the football.Look around the SEC. How many true pocket-passers are there? Every team is looking for more of a dual-threat quarterback. Kelly and Dobbs, the leagues top two players at the position, can both make plays with their feet. Brandon Harris has that ability at LSU. And so do all three of the quarterbacks competing at Auburn. Even Alabama is giving a hard look at true freshman Jalen HurtsThe only problem is that dual-threat quarterbacks dont always translate to the NFL level, at least not yet. Jared Goff and Carson Wentz werent taken No. 1 and No. 2 in Aprils NFL draft because of their ability to run. They were taken because theyre 6-foot-4 or taller and they can make just about every throw on the field.Regional differencesWhere do the SEC quarterbacks from? Kelly hails from New York. Jacob Eason, the freshman phenom who is competing for the starting job at Georgia, arrived in January from the state of Washington. And the three quarterbacks in the mix at Alabama - Hurts, Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett - come from Texas, Utah and California, respectively.Now thats not true of every school in the conference, but more times than not, teams have to go outside their region to grab a quarterback.Just look at the numbers. Since ESPN expanded its recruiting rankings to 300, there have been 120 quarterbacks ranked in the ESPN 300. Of those 120, only 38 played high school football in the Southeast.Of the 38 from the Southeast ranked in the ESPN 300, 20 were pocket-passers. California alone has had 18 pocket-passers ranked in the ESPN 300 since 2013.Some of that goes back to style of play. In the Southeast, more so than anywhere else, high school coaches tend to take the best athlete on the team and make him the quarterback. Its why ESPN scouts had to create the athlete position when it came to evaluating recruits. But in almost every case, these quarterbacks end up playing a different position at the college level.So while the Southeast might have the best overall athletes of any region, other states like California and Texas typically produce the best quarterbacks.What does the future hold?At first glance, it doesnt look good. The QB play across the SEC has been trending in the wrong direction for a couple years now, and this years crop of quarterback doesnt elicit much confidence that its going to be any different in 2016.It also doesnt help that a handful of the SECs promising young quarterbacks transferred out of the league this offseason. Texas A&M alone lost two former ESPN 300 signal callers in Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray. And Florida (Will Grier), Kentucky (Patrick Towles) and South Carolina (Connor Mitch) all saw former four-star recruits leave the school as well.But lets not forget that Alabama won a national championship just last year with a transfer (Coker) at quarterback. Plus, both Knight at Texas A&M and recently-named Florida starter Luke Del Rio transferred in from other schools.Incoming transfers arent going to change the narrative, though. If anything, it highlights that SEC havent been able to develop elite quarterbacks.The conferences best hope might be in the form of two freshmen - Eason at Georgia and Shea Patterson at Ole Miss. Both were highly sought after coming out of high school, and both have shown abilities that could translate to the NFL. Its still way too early to say for sure, but theres potential there. And maybe that means theres potential for the SEC. ' ' ' 

Throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, NHL on TSN analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan ranks the netminders after each game night. Custom Muggsy Bogues Jersey . Number values assigned are out of five with five being the best performance. Corey Crawford- 2 - Rough ride for him in this game, obviously the Bruins are targeting the glove side as he was beat there on all of their goals. He made two huge saves in OT, one on a deflection on Bergeron and a right pad save on Marchand off the draw that ended up allowing Chicago to go down and score the game winner. People will focus on the glove goals, but the ability to continue to battle despite an off night carries weight. Tuukka Rask - 2 - Had a lot of weird goals where there were second shots and scrambles in front of him. The game plan is to get traffic in front of him and make life tough in his crease and thats what the Hawks did. The game-winning goal was a screen shot that came through Seidenberg and beat him six hole through the arm and pad. Showed some visual frustration with his team on the third and fouth goals. Chicago will continue to go after him. His blocker side has been a target for the Hawks, mid-to-high on that side. Authentic Custom Hornets Jersey . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. Muggsy Bogues Jersey Large . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. http://www.customhornetsjersey.com/ .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee.England can take heart from a brilliant bowling display as they head to fortress Newlands for Sundays series-deciding fifth one-day international against South Africa, says Nasser Hussain. The tourists suffered their second straight defeat as South Africa scraped to 266-9 to overhaul Englands 262-9 by one wicket in the fourth ODI, at Johannesburg.Eoin Morgans men appeared set to wrap up the series when the home side slipped to 210-8 after Joe Roots eighth ODI century had repaired the damage done by a middle-order slump. Watch a pick of the action from the fourth ODI between South Africa and England But Chris Morris, snapped up by Delhi Daredevils in last weeks IPL auction, was dropped by Adil Rashid on 14 and turned the tables with a scintillating 62.The balance of power has shifted towards South Africa definitely but England did play pretty well for large parts of this game, reflected former England skipper Hussain.If you can lose five wickets for 21 and still come so close to winning, it means you are putting in a lot of good performances. They were brilliant with the ball. Eoin Morgans captaincy was very good, Reece Topley was exceptional. They are not just relying on one or two players. Adil Rashid might have dropped Morris on 14, but the game would have been lost if he hadnt scored runs earlier in the day.That said, theyve lost a game they should have won and Root wont be the only distraught player; theyre travelling to Cape Town on Saturday and now have to play at fortress Newlands.Only two sides in the history of the game have come back from being 2-0 down in a one-day series, so England could snatch defeat from the draws of victory and they will be under pressure. We hear from AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan and Chris Morris after South Africas win over England in the fourth ODI England paid the price for shelling three catches, Jason Roy and Alex Hales also missing chances before Rashid dropped Morris off Topley at mid-off. Custom Hornets Jersey China. It was a match of small margins, said Hussain. Morris hit the ball up in the air on 14 and Rashid drops a catch he would have taken 99 times out of 100.England would then have been into the tail but as it was Morris went on and played brilliantly. You can see why Delhi have bought him in the IPL.He will have been under a little bit of pressure because quite a few South Africans were questioning if he was worth what he went for in the IPL auction but on his home ground in a losing situation the pressure was off him a little and some of the striking he did was absolutely brilliant. Watch this brilliant one-handed catch from Topley during Englands ODI against South Africa I dont think you can take anything away from how well South Africa played at the end; I dont think England could have done anymore apart from take those catches that they grassed.To defend a score like that you have to be perfect in the field. You drop AB de Villiers and JP Duminy and you think they are going to hurt you but they dont; you drop Morris who you dont think is going to hurt you and he does and thats the game gone there.Watch the fifth and final one-day international between South Africa and England live on Sky Sports 2 this Sunday from 7.30am. Also See: Fixtures/results Live cricket on Sky Get Sky Sports Cricket videos ' ' ' 

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- In Gee Chun posted a 5-under round of 66 to take a two-shot lead at the Evian Championship on Friday, keeping the 22-year-old South Korean on course for the second major of her career. Custom Giants Jersey China .Chun, the 2015 U.S. Womens Open champion, had a bogey on the fourth hole but otherwise played with great control, hitting six birdies in rainy and overcast conditions at the picturesque resort overlooking Lake Geneva.I always try not to think about winning, said Chun, who missed the cut here last year. Thinking about winning is more pressure.South Korean Sung Hyun Park, who shared the overnight lead with Chun, juggled three bogeys and six birdies in a round of 68, tying her for second place with Shanshan Feng -- Chinas only major winner.So Yeon Ryu, who is also from South Korea, is three shots behind Chun in fourth place after posting 66, matching her score from round 1.Feng was a shot back overnight, as was American Annie Park, while defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand sat seven strokes behind after a disappointing opening day in her bid for a third major by the age of 19.Feng started to tire on the back nine, hitting two bogeys, but perked up with birdies on the final two holes for a 67.Theres no benefit for just long hitters, she said. The rough is really long.Ko fared better this time with a 68 but is nine shots off the lead.Playing the back nine first, the South-Korean born New Zealander went out in an even 36. But Ko improved on her way back to the clubhouse with a bogey and four birdies -- including a brilliant chip in from the edge of the green on the fifth for one of the shots of the day.Teeing off at 7:45 a.m. local time did not work out well for Park.She ended her round with a bogey on 16th and double bogey on the 17th to finish with a 2-over 73 and drop down the leaderboard.Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand recovered from her first-round 73 to make a consistent 67 featuring four birdies. But the British Open champion is 11 shots off the lead.Ko and Jutanugarn are trying to win the Annika Major Award, rewarding the major winner with the best combined record at all five majors of the season. It is named after 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam.Veteran American Angela Stanford is four shots behind Chun in fifth place as she tries to win her first major at the age of 38.Usually by Friday this course has killed me, Stanford said. But I still feel like I have a little energy.Her best performance in a major was back in 2003, when she was tied for second at the U.S. Womens Open.Having cameras around all day felt new again, said Stanford, who has five career wins on the LPGA Tour. For somebody that hasnt been in that position for a while.Two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome is a shot behind her in a tie for sixth with South Korean Eun-Hee Ji.Lincicome, who had nine birdies and four bogeys in her erratic 66, had a unique way of describing the course.Theres no flat lie anywhere, and then the greens are impossible, the 30-year-old American said. Like theres elephants buried under every one of them. Authentic Custom Giants 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. Cheap Custom Giants Jersey . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. http://www.customsfgiantsjersey.com/custom-mel-ott-jersey-large-79f.html . "I dont know that were close," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I just think, right now, the acquisition cost just doesnt work for us right now. I dont know if I can quantify how far off or things like that that they might be but I would say we continue to have dialogue. NEW YORK -- Cleveland Indians right-hander Dillon Howard has been suspended for 50 games without pay under baseballs minor league drug program following a positive test for an amphetamine. Howard, who turns 21 on Monday, was selected on the second round of the 2011 amateur draft with the 67th pick and agreed to a $1.85 million signing bonus. He was 1-7 with a 7.90 ERA in 10 starts and two relief appearances last year for the rookie-level Arizona League Indians andd hasnt pitched this season. Custom Giants Jerseys. He was assigned to extended spring training this year with right knee soreness and because of poor conditioning, Indians spokesman Bart Swain said. A first violation for a stimulant results in a suspension under the minor league drug program, but triggers only follow-up testing for players on 40-man major league rosters. The suspension announced Friday was the 26th this year under the minor league program. ' ' '