NEW YORK -- Bill Laimbeer wasnt surprised his star center reached another milestone so early in her career.Tina Charles scored 23 points, including her 4000th, to help New York beat Phoenix 92-70 on Saturday night.We talk about inside that shes the best post player in the world, men or women. the Liberty coach said. Shes that consistent and that dominant. Theres more to her that were waiting to see.Charles, who also had 15 rebounds, became the sixth-fastest player in WNBA history to reach that milestone and helped move the Liberty closer to clinching at least the third seed in the playoffs. One more victory will assure New York of a bye in the first round and a home game in the second.New York (20-9) got off to a slow start, missing its first seven shots. The Liberty led 13-12 with just over four minutes left in the first quarter before outscoring Phoenix 16-2 the rest of the period. Charles had nine of the teams points during that burst.Phoenix (13-16), which lost in Connecticut on Friday night, was down 26 points in the third quarter before rallying within 11 early in the fourth quarter. The Mercury could get no closer.They played better, bottom line, Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi said. Not tired, no nothing. They were better than us today.New York led by 14 at the half and blew the game open early in the third as frustration was setting in for the Mercury. After Taurasi drew contact on a play, but no foul was called, assistant coach Todd Troxel was ejected for arguing with the officials. That seemed to spark Phoenix, which trailed 68-42 at that point. The Mercury scored 13 of the next 16 to close within 71-55 after three.Phoenix got within 73-62 early in the final period, but Charles hit a basket, and then a three-point play by Brittany Boyd sealed the win. Boyd finished with a season-high 19 points, starting in place of Tanisha Wright (knee). New York, which has won 20 games in consecutive seasons, also was without Shoni Schimmel (concussion) and Kiah Stokes (hip).Laimbeer said he didnt expect Stokes to play the rest of the regular season, but he was hopeful to have Wright back at some point soon. He wasnt sure about Schimmels status since concussions are trickier to predict.Marta Xargay led the Mercury with 16 points and DeWanna Bonner added 15.Charles reached 4,000 points on a three-point play late in the second quarter. Shes the 29th player to achieve that mark and is the third youngest according to Elias Sports Bureau. The Liberty honored Charles, Taurasi and Brittney Griner before the game for helping the U.S. win a gold medal at the Rio Olympics. New York also honored Penny Taylor, who is retiring at the end of the season.It was nice, Taylor said. I try not to think about it and just play the games we have left. Mike Quick Youth Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Wes Hopkins Eagles Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth-Herman-Edwards-Eagles-Jersey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Tommy McDonald Eagles Jersey . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Herman Edwards Womens Jersey . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. TORONTO -- Only three players of color are competing in the World Cup of Hockey. Team USA coach John Tortorellas stance on the anthem protests across professional sports has only made hockey look more exclusionary, an insulated world as unyielding as the ice its played on.Before the tournament began, Tortorella made it clear that his players would be punished for following Colin Kaepernicks lead. If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game, Tortorella told ESPNs Linda Cohn.Tortorella was given the chance to walk back his comments. He declined the opportunity.It is probably the most disrespectful thing you can do as a U.S. citizen is to bring that in, he said. Because thats our symbol. All for [expressing] yourself. Thats whats so great. Everybody does. But no chance when it comes to the flag and anthem. No chance.By Tortorellas measure, protest is fine so long as it meets his own particular standards of what is or isnt an acceptable form of expression.As a coach, Tortorella has an authority over his players, and ice time is his principal means to wield it. Workplaces routinely set limits that the U.S. government never should.As the father of a son serving his third tour in Afghanistan -- Nick Tortorella is part of the U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment -- he is understandably sensitive to the sacrifices made by the men and women serving in the armed forces and their families.As an American, however, Tortorella should remember that some rules arent his to make or break. He represents his country and its ideals to the world just as much as his players do. He also represents hockey.J.T. Brown, an African-American forward on the Tampa Bay Lightning, provided perhaps the most notable opposition to Tortorellas order.Brown followed his tweet with a thoughtful statement to the Tampa Bay Times.I could have been quiet and just kept my opinion to myself, it read in part, but I dont want young minorities who love the game of hockey to think that whats going on in America today is going unnoticed by the hockey community.I love America and thank the military for protecting our freedoms, as well as law enforcement for protecting and serving our communities, but that doesnt mean I cant acknowledge that there is still racism today. I am glad my tweet provoked a discussion, because we need to start having a conversation about racism if we want to work towards a better America.Brown is not part of Team USA; Winnipeg Jets defensemaan Dustin Byfuglien is the only player of color on the American roster.dddddddddddd Asked about Tortorellas comments before the tournament began, Byfuglien essentially said players remained free to protest: You still do it. But you take your chances.He was a healthy scratch for Saturdays opening game against Team Europe.Tortorella said his choice was purely about numbers, a function of having a roster of 23 players and being able to dress only 20. Sources within Team USA were emphatic that the decision to sit Byfuglien had nothing to do with the anthem debate or the possibility that he might disobey his coachs demand.Byfuglien said he wasnt given a reason for not making the cut. No, he said. Just, Youre out.No matter the calculus, Byfugliens absence has meant the World Cup has seen only two nonwhite players so far out of the 184 playing in incredibly diverse Toronto.One is Seth Jones, who plays defense for Team North America and Tortorellas Blue Jackets in the NHL. Jones said he had no problem with his coachs comments. During the American anthem before Team North Americas opener against Finland on Sunday and again on Monday against Russia, Jones stood with his head bowed, tapping his stick after in salute.The other is French winger Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. He suited up for Team Europe, which doesnt have an anthem to stand for.That leaves Byfuglien, and all indications are he will dress for Team USA during Tuesdays all-important game against Canada. Asked what playing might mean to him, he was even quieter than he usually is. Its everything, he said.Asked whether he had plans to protest during the anthem, he shook his head. Nothing. Nothing, he said. No, Im not going to do anything.America, like hockey, works best when it occupies that great gulf between everything and nothing, between love it or leave it. It can be a messy and complicated place to be, full of compromise and the fog of debate. Extremes are attractive because they are easier. Rules dont just tell us how to behave, but they also tell us how others will.If Dustin Byfuglien stands for the anthem on Tuesday night, thats his right. If he sits, or kneels, or raises his fist, or skates out without his stick or with his jersey inside-out, that should be his right, too.In a world and a game that can seem defined by its polarity, thats the most American, and admirable, of absolutes. ' ' '