GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Coyotes knew Mike Ribeiro had behavioural issues when they signed him before last season, but hoped a reunion with coach Dave Tippett would help him. It didnt, at least not to the Coyotes satisfaction. The Coyotes initiated a buyout of the final three years of Ribeiros contract on Friday, parting ways with their top off-season acquisition from a year ago. "Mike had some real behavioural issues we felt we could not tolerate going forward," Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said. The Coyotes had sought a playmaking centre for years and appeared to have landed one when they signed Ribeiro to a four-year, $22 million contract last off-season. He was one of the top free agents on the market last year and was considered a major coup for the franchises new ownership group, IceArizona, which had agreed on a lease agreement to keep the team in Glendale just three days earlier. The 34-year-old Ribeiro showed flashes of the brilliance he had in Washington, where he played at a point-per-game pace during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. But as the season wore on, Ribeiro became less effective and struggled with personal problems despite playing for Tippett, his former coach in Dallas. Ribeiro was a healthy scratch in games against Pittsburgh and New Jersey late in the season while the Coyotes were fighting for a playoff spot and was largely ineffective down the stretch. He finished with 16 goals and 31 assists in 80 games. The Coyotes became the Arizona Coyotes on Friday. MLB Jerseys 2020 Online . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. Nike MLB Jerseys For Sale . Hes still nowhere close to throwing yet. The four-time MVP was in good spirits when he made his first public appearance on the field since having neck surgery Sept. https://www.mlbjerseys2020.com/ . Head coach Corey Chamblin announced on Monday that Avon Cobourne had been hired as the defending Grey Cup champions new running backs coach. Stitched Nike MLB Jerseys .C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes have activated defenceman Joni Pitkanen from injured reserve. MLB Jerseys From China . 8 Sergio Parisse for its penultimate Six Nations match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road.MADRID, Spain -- Spain striker Fernando Torres says he can make the World Cup squad and help his country defend its title in Brazil. Torres tells Spanish daily AS "in football you never know where you will be inside one month. Im going to work hard, thats all you can do with this last part of the season so important. Those in the best form before the Worldd Cup will go.dddddddddddd" The Chelsea striker was dropped from Spains team for a recent friendly against Italy with Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa taking his place. Alvaro Negredo is also ahead of him in the pecking order. Torres, who turned 30 on Thursday, helped Spain win back-to-back European Championships and the last World Cup. ' ' '

As much as seven prospects with Canadian connections could find their way onto an NFL team come draft time. Canadians Brent Urban and Bo Lokombo appear to be locks to have their name called on Draft weekend while Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, a CIS offensive lineman, could also be drafted. John Urschel and T.J. Jones are Americans born in Canada that should be drafted as well while Hunter Steward and Casey Chin could earn UDFA contracts after the draft. Go to TSN.ca for the full list of Canadian prospects. Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping . John Albert Elway, 24, was booked into jail early Saturday morning after an incident near a college campus in downtown Denver, according to jail records. Fake Shoes UK . Leaning forward with both hands on his knees, Buffon appeared to be resting or somehow trying to withstand the rain. Or perhaps the 36-year-old goalkeeper and Italy captain was reflecting on this: He is only the third player in history to be part of five World Cup squads, along with Germany great Lothar Matthaus and former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. https://www.shoesukonline.com/ . According to the sportsbook BoDog, the Stampeders are 8/5 favourites to take home the Grey Cup at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on November 24. Shoes UK Online Store . Niese pitched seven steady innings on a rainy Tuesday night and Daniel Murphy had three hits to lead New York to a 6-1 victory over the Phillies. Shoes UK Online Cheap .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. LAS VEGAS -- Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals last season to capture his second consecutive and fourth career Maurice Richard Trophy, an award hell collect at Tuesday nights NHL Awards in Las Vegas. But it was a dinner meeting he had over the weekend that created the buzz at Mondays informal media event at the Wynn Country Club. Ovechkin and Barry Trotz finally had a chance to meet face to face for the first time since the former Nashville Predators coach was named Capitals coach on May 26. "It was a good meeting, I think hell be happy," said Ovechkin, who leads the NHL in goals (422), points (814), power-play goals (151) and game-winning goals (69) since entering the league in 2005. "We talked about the system, how he wants to coach." The Capitals star made it a point to avoid discussing the details of his conversation with Trotz, but did acknowledge that the coach said there would be some changes. "Hes going to explain to everybody, its not about just me, everybody will have to change," said Ovechkin, who became the 11th player in NHL history to record five 50-goal campaigns. "We just talked about how he wants to play with me and how he wants to play with the team. We talked about good things -- lots of good things, lots of bad things -- he sees what he can change with the team and what he can change with my game." Trotz, who has never coacheed a 40-goal scorer, instilled a defensive scheme in Nashville.dddddddddddd He was the only coach of the Predators since they joined the league as an expansion franchise for the 1998-99 season. The 51-year-old Trotz was fired at the end of last season, after compiling a career record of 557-479-60 in 15 seasons. His 1,196 regular-season games coached ranks him 14th on the all-time coaching list. "Hes a straightforward coach and thats the best thing you can expect from a new guy," said Ovechkin. "Hes going to bring some new stuff for me and my teammates. Its going to be a new season and its going to be a brand new day for me. We still have the same team, the same group of guys right now. The new coach is going to bring a new system and well see how it goes." When Trotz was named coach, the Capitals also promoted Brian MacLellan to general manager, making him the sixth GM in team history after he spent the past seven seasons as the teams assistant general manager. "The whole organization is making a big step; they fired (former GM) George (McPhee), fired (former coach) Adam (Oates) and the organization wants to make improvements," Ovechkin said. "Just glad they havent fired me yet. Im still here with a Capitals jersey. ... New coach, a new GM and well see whats going to happen with the team, the system and all kind of stuff. Its going to be an interesting year." ' ' '

DALLAS - Rajon Rondo is learning to play with his new Dallas teammates, and Dirk Nowitzki is trying to play through a stomach ailment that wont go away.They both look forward to when things will be more comfortable.Rondo scored a season-high 21 points in his fourth game with the Mavericks and Nowitzki added 14 to move up another spot on the NBAs scoring list in a 102-98 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.Rondo, traded from Boston last week, also had eight rebounds and seven assists in Dallas franchise-best fifth straight win against the Lakers in the regular season.We basically just have to communicate on the floor, said Rondo, who topped his season high of 20 against Oklahoma City last month when he was still with the Celtics. The game is still the same.Kobe Bryant missed his third straight game for Los Angeles to rest his sore body. He could return Sunday at home against Phoenix.The NBAs No. 3 career scorer watched from the Lakers bench while Nowitzki passed Elvin Hayes for eighth place, and 10th on the combined NBA-ABA list.The 36-year-old hit a long jumper on the first possession of the third quarter to surpass Hayes and asked out less than 4 minutes later, apparently winded from the effects of the illness after coming up short on a pair of open shots.Its been up and down for last couple of weeks so had to get it checked out this morning, said Nowitzki, the highest-scoring foreigner in league history at 27,322 points, now nine ahead of Hayes.Just hope to feel better soon, said the 7-foot German, who also had eight rebounds.Carlos Boozer scored 18 points for the Lakers, who lost again on the second night of a back-to-back after beating NBA-leading Golden State in the first game without Bryant.But they looked much better than the team that lost 140-106 last month in Dallas, when Bryant did play. It was the highest-scoring for the Mavericks in more than five years.We just want the win, Boozer said. Theres no such thing as a moral victory in the NBA.TIP-INSLakers: G Wayne Ellington made his third straight start in Bryants place and finished with 12 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to keep the outcome slightly in doubt in the final seconds. ... Los Angeles had three players with double-doubles in points and rebounds: Jordan Hill (12 points, 10 rebounds), Wesley Johnson (11 and 10) and Ed Davis (10 and 11).Mavericks: Nowitzki tied old teammate and close friend Steve Nash by playing in his 1,217th career game, 27th on the career list. They played about 400 regular-season games together over six seasons in Dallas. The 40-year-old Nash is still with the Lakers but not expected to play in the final season of his contract because of back problems. ... Tyson Chandler had 15 points and 12 rebounds, his 14th double-double.WATCH OUT, KOBEBryant, who was in street clothes at the end of the bench, shared a brief moment with Nowitzki after the game. I told him I was going to catch him, Nowitzki said, drawing laughter in the locker room after the game. Thats going to be tough.Bryant passed Michael Jordan earlier this month. Hes at 32,365 points. Nowitzkis in his 17th season, Bryant his 19th.LONG-RANGE RUNSNick Young, who had 15 points on five 3-pointers, hit a pair from long range about a minute apart to help the Lakers get within five midway through the fourth quarter.But Dallas Charlie Villanueva, enjoying an expanded role since the Rondo trade sent Brandan Wright to the Celtics, hit two big 3s to spark a fourth-quarter run that put away the game. The 10th-year player finished with 13 points.ANOTHER AILMENTLike Nowitzki, Monta Ellis was questionable before the game. Playing with an unspecified illness, Ellis finished with 15 points, seven assists and three steals. He was sweating a little more than normal, coach Rick Carlisle said. You could just tell it was tougher for him. We needed him out there. It was as simple as that.UP NEXTLakers: Host Phoenix on Sunday.Mavericks: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday. Cheap LeBron James Shoes .com) - The Chicago White Sox have officially announced that the club has agreed to terms with utilityman Emilio Bonifacio on a one-year, $4 million contract that includes a team option for the 2016 season. Clearance LeBron James Shoes . Phoenix originally signed Barbosa to a 10-day contract on Jan. 8 after Eric Bledsoe injured his knee and then signed him to another 10-day deal. https://www.cheapshoeslebronjames.com/ .S. Basketball Writers Association. McDermott, who finished his career at Creighton as college basketballs fifth-leading scorer, accepted the honour from Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson at AT&T Stadium, site of the Final Four. LeBron James Shoes From China . -- Augusta James of Bath, Ont. LeBron James Shoes Outlet . More importantly, he is trying to show his young teammates the Colorado are still post-season contenders. He hopes winning a series at home was a fresh start.SAN FRANCISCO -- Two key players are finding their way for the San Francisco Giants. Pablo Sandoval homered for the first time in more than a month and Ryan Vogelsong won for just the second time in nine starts, leading the San Francisco Giants past the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Sunday to salvage a split of their four-game series. Manager Bruce Bochy never doubted these two would get on track. "Theyre two guys we need to have success," Bochy said, "Vogey being a starter and Pablo hitting in the heart of the order." Buster Posey returned from a day off to hit a sacrifice fly, while Tyler Colvin and Brandon Hicks each hit RBI singles in a stretch of four straight base hits with two outs in the first against Jacob Turner. Staked to an early lead, Vogelsong (2-2) struck out six in seven innings as the Giants concluded a season-long stretch with 17 games in as many days. San Francisco avoided its first three-game home losing streak. Turner (0-2) is still searching for his first road win, falling to 0-11 in 18 career road starts. "All I can do is go out and give it everything I have," he said. "Wins, losses, those are things I cant control." Sandoval connected for his third home run with two outs in the fifth, his first since April 13 against the Rockies. He has struggled so far in a contract year. Christian Yelichs RBI groundout off Jeremy Affeldt in the eighth accounted for Miamis run. Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his 15th save. A day after San Francisco was shut out 5-0 -- its second shutout in five games -- and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine, the Giants jumped on Turner right away. The right-hander hit Gregor Blanco to begin the bottom of the first and Blanco stole second, then Poseys sacrifice fly two batters later put the Giants on the board. Eight of San Franciscos 15 runs in the series came with two outs. Vogelsong did his part, and got some help from the defence with a double play and caught stealing. The pitcher also had his third hit of the year with a second-inning single. Vogelsong allowed five hits, struck out at least six for the third tiime in four May outings, and walked one for his second win of the season.dddddddddddd His other victory came May 3 at Atlanta -- and the right-hander stayed optimistic. "You have to believe that youre going to turn it around and get it going," Vogelsong said. "Thats what my hope was. You have to believe that. If you dont, youre behind the 8-ball to begin with. ... Ive read some of the stuff he was saying about Pablo and other people and a lot of it was mental, and its true. "First of all, you have to stop digging a hole, to get out of it. Second of all you have to believe that you can do it. When they believe in you, too, that goes a long way. That helps a lot." Sandoval has raised his batting average to .220 by hitting .389 during a nine-game hitting streak. Both teams ended grueling May stretches, and Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton didnt play until late. The Marlins wrapped up their season-long 11-game road trip out West with just their third loss in the past 15 meetings at AT&T Park, where Miami has its best road record since 2011. The club heads home to put its 17-5 record at Marlins Park on the line against the Phillies. Giants centre fielder Angel Pagan had an MRI on his bruised left shoulder that showed a sprained AC joint, which he hurt trying for a diving catch Saturday. The hope is after sitting out Sunday coupled with Mondays day off he could be ready to play Tuesday at Colorado. "Im not really concerned," Pagan said. "Two days off will be good for me." Injured Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro will have a platelet-rich plasma injection Monday in Miami. NOTES: San Francisco RHP Tim Hudson threw at a higher intensity off flat ground as he nurses a strained left hip that forced him to miss his Friday start. He will have a bullpen session Tuesday ahead of his scheduled start Thursday at Coors Field. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence became the active leader in games played when Texas slugger Prince Fielder sat out Saturday to have his streak end at 547. Pence has appeared in 351 straight games with 216 consecutive starts. He leads the majors in innings played with 409 2-3. ' ' '

ROME -- Serena Williams isnt committing to playing in the Italian Open yet as she waits to see how her injured left thigh feels. The top-ranked Williams withdrew before her quarterfinal match at the Madrid Open last week. "Im taking it a day at a time. Well see as the week goes on. I have the rest of the day off and Ill see how I feel tomorrow," Williams said Monday. "I hit some balls today a little bit so Im going to see later tonight how it feels." In Madrid, Williams had her thigh heavily bandaged and said the injury occurred during a first-round victory over Belinda Bencic. She dismissed conjecture of pulling out for precautionary reasons. "I dont do anything out of precaution anymore. You live once and I feel like anything can happen tomorrow," Williams said. "I just physically couldnt play. I was in a lot of pain and just wasnt able to continue. When I play I want to give 100 per cent. "I want to go out there and I want to give the fans everything that they deserve and everything that they come to see," Williams added. "And I just wasnt going to even come close to being there." Williams is the defending champion at the Foro Italico, and also won the title in 2002. Shell also be the defending champion when the French Open starts in two weeks. Compared to earlier in her career, Williams said she really enjoys the red clay of Rome and Paris now. "I love the challenge of having to be more consistent and having to be that much better," she said. Williams is slated to open against either Romina Oprandi of Switzerland or Andrea Petkovic of Germany. Shes one of eight Americans in the draw -- quite a large showing compared to recent years. "Its good timing. Im nearing the end of my career, I guess -- who knows when its going to end, I love playing -- and people get inspired by different Americans maybe, and maybe start to play now," Williams said. "I love seeing all the Americans around." The other Americans in Rome are Varvara Lepchenko, Sloane Stephens, Christina McHale, Lauren Davis, Madison Keys, Alison Riske and Serenas older sister Venus Williams. At 32, Serena Williams marveled at the retirement announcement last week by former No. 1 Dinara Safina, who is 28. "Shes a lot younger than me," Serena said. "I just enjoy it right now. I enjoy my practice and Im starting to look in the mirror like, Wow. Whats wrong with me? I should be starting to not enjoy it so much. But the older I get the more I enjoy it. Its kind of weird but Im going to take it as it is." Austin Riley Jersey . The Broncos quarterback earned the offensive award Wednesday after passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-21 win over the Raiders Monday night. Manning completed 32-of-37 passes and had a passer rating of 135. Atlanta Braves Gear . A wide-eyed 18-year-old visiting North America for only the second time in his young life, Caboclo immediately noticed the "big tower" his new home is best known for. https://www.cheapbraves.com/1283o-orlando-cepeda-jersey-braves.html . "Yes, Id like to get them in," Detroits rookie manager said. "Mother Natures going to have a say in that." Sure enough, the Tigers had their game against the Kansas City Royals postponed because of rain on Thursday. Bobby Cox Jersey .com) - Carmelo Anthony tallied 31 points to help the New York Knicks continue their improved play of late with a 100-92 victory over a short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder squad. Rowland Office Jersey . Pressley missed all of last season with Cincinnati because of a knee injury, but the 5-foot-10, 249-pounder had been expected to fill a need on Clevelands roster.OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics have placed infielder Alberto Callaspo on the paternity list and recalled infielder Andy Parrino from Triple-A Sacramento. The As made the moves before opening a three-game series Friday night against the New York Yankees. Callaspo is batting .218 with three home runs and 20 RBIs. Parrino began the spring with tthe As before Texas claimed him off waivers March 3.dddddddddddd Parrino batted .189 in 13 games with Triple-A Round Rock when the As claimed him off waivers April 21 and optioned him to Sacramento. Hes batting .344 with three home runs and 24 RBIs in 44 games with Sacramento. The As also announced they have agreed to terms with 18 draft picks. ' ' '

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - UFC fighter Shane del Rosario has suffered a heart attack and is in critical condition at a Southern California hospital. Manager Jason House released a statement Wednesday saying Del Rosario had a catastrophic cardiovascular collapse at his home in Newport on Tuesday morning and was taken to the local Hoag Hospital in full cardiac arrest. House says Del Rosario was resuscitated in the emergency room and his heart rate and blood pressure was stabilized, but his condition remained critical Wednesday afternoon. Del Rosario, a 30-year-old heavyweight, has lost his first two fights since coming to UFC from Strikeforce, and pulled out of a scheduled Dec. 28 match with Guto Inocente because of a rib injury. Air Max 97 Schweiz Billig . - This win was more the New Jersey Devils style. Vapormax Herren Sale .Murray has played 20 matches in five weeks, winning three titles to climb to fifth in the ATP Race.The two-time Grand Slam champion also seeks to qualify for next months ATP World Tour Finals.Murray said: I always wanted to qualify for it, but also I want to get back into the top 8 players in the world and it makes a huge difference for seedings in the major events. http://www.vapormaxkaufenschweiz.com/vapormax-herren-schweiz/vapormax-weiss-outlet.html . -- Those impatient for the Stanley Cup to return to Canada will have just one team to root for in the NHL playoffs -- the Montreal Canadiens. Vapormax Plus Outlet . 17.A string of English Premier League teams, most in the lower end of the standings, has been linked to the 32-year-old forward but most have seemingly balked at the cost given his wages and transfer fee. Nike Vapormax Herren Günstig . Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Buddy Robinson scored 43 seconds apart in the second period to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs in American Hockey League action Friday night at the Bell Centre. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Royals manager Ned Yost admitted that he often manages an entire game around getting the ball to reliever Wade Davis in the eighth inning and closer Greg Holland in the ninth. The fact that Yordano Ventura gave him six solid innings made things even easier. Ventura returned from a sore elbow to keep the St. Louis Cardinals off balance, and Kansas City rallied for three runs in the sixth inning before the bullpen closed out a 3-2 win Thursday night that ended a string of eight straight home losses to its cross-state rivals. "The bullpen was fantastic tonight," Yost said. Of course, so was Ventura. The hard-throwing right-hander was skipped his previous time through the rotation because of the ailment, but looked sharp in his return. Ventura (3-5) pitched to contact and took advantage of some sharp defence, which helped him to limit the damage whenever he ran into trouble. "Everything was good," Ventura said through a translator. "I wasnt nervous. I was very anxious. I wanted to pitch well to help the team win." He wasnt in line for the win until the Royals rallied for three runs off Michael Wacha (4-4) in the sixth inning, and Francisley Bueno and Davis each pitched a perfect inning in relief. Holland made things interesting in the ninth. Oscar Taveras led off with a grounder toward second base that Omar Infante fielded deep in the hole and threw awkwardly to first base. Umpire Dan Iassogna initially ruled the throw beat Taveras to the bag, but a video review showed that he was clearly safe. Holland proceeded to strike out Jhonny Peralta, but a wild pitch sent pinch runner Randal Grichuk to second base. Holland then struck out Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos to end the game. The Royals took the first two games of the four-game, two-city series at Busch Stadium, and then lost 5-2 in 11 innings on Wednesday night before taking the series finale. Kansas City improved to 6-2 against National League clubs this season, while its slumping cross-state rivals lost for the seventh time in their past eight games. The game was expected to be a showdown between two oof the games bright young pitchers in Ventura, with his 100 mph fastball, and Wacha, who emerged for St.dddddddddddd Louis last season. Neither of them disappointed. Ventura left two runners aboard in the first inning and a runner on third base in each of the next three innings. Alex Gordon then helped him out of the fifth, when he threw out Yadier Molina trying to stretch a single into a double with a strong throw from left field. The call was confirmed after a review that lasted 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Wacha only allowed two hits through the first five innings before Alcides Escobar started the Royals rally with a double in the sixth. Nori Aoki followed with an RBI double and Eric Hosmer guided a single through a drawn-in infield to knot the game 2-all. Salvador Perez, who had been in a 2-for-24 slump at home, followed with a go-ahead single. "Wacha was real good up the point of the sixth inning and thats consecutive starts where weve had starters come out and be real good and just hit a wall," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "We just werent able to get enough offence back after that." The fact that Aoki had a part in the Royals sixth-inning rally was perhaps fitting. The outfielder was leading off in the first inning when he took a pitch low and inside. He was still leaning slightly over the plate when Molina tried to return the ball to Wacha, and the throw instead ricocheted hard off Aokis helmet and toward the third-base dugout. Aoki crumpled into a heap and lay in the dirt for several minutes before resuming his at-bat. He later grounded out, but hurt the Cardinals with his double during the Royals decisive rally. "Yadi was real apologetic," Yost said. "Nori was just like, OK, OK." NOTES: Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong left in the fifth inning with soreness in his left shoulder, which he hurt diving for a ball Tuesday night in St. Louis. Daniel Descalso replaced him. ... Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie starts a four-game series against the Yankees on Friday night. Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn will start for St. Louis to open its three-game set in Toronto. ' ' '

Aston Villas relegation was confirmed when they lost 1-0 at Manchester United on Saturday, but the Premier League obituary could have been written in December, and drafted years ago. It was seven years ago last week that Villas new-found success under the ownership of Randy Lerner showed its first signs of falling apart at the seams. Then-manager Martin ONeill, criticised for playing a second-string side in Villas UEFA Cup round-of-32 second leg at CSKA Moscow, hosted a dinner in front of the 295 fans who had travelled to Russia to see a 2-0 defeat, justifying his decision to all but give up on the tie with the score at 1-1 on aggregate. Aston Villa brought a third-string side to CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Cup A three-course dinner was washed down by five drink vouchers at a reported cost of £15,000 to the club, a thank you and sorry to the fans as they reminisced with ONeill and others about past European success.The evening was more or less viewed positively, but the damage had been done weeks before. Ask Villa fans where it started to go wrong as they taste relegation for the first time in Premier League history, and many will point to the final months of the 2008/09 season.It was Villas first appearance at this stage of European competition for 11 years, and the decision not to take the likes of James Milner, Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, Stiliyan Petrov and Gabriel Agbonlahor to Moscow left a sour taste in fans mouths. But the story is more complex than one result.A win over Stoke at Villa Park three days after the Moscow tie would have stretched their fourth-place lead over Arsenal to eight points with 11 games remaining. It was a must-win for ONeill to justify the selection in Russia, but Villa threw away a two-goal lead, conceding twice in the final three minutes. The Villa Park crowd have seen only two home wins in the league this season The players and fans were deflated, and Villa went on to take just 10 points out of a possible 33 in the Premier League, finishing 10 points behind Arsenal in sixth. But to fully understand the impact of the swing-and-miss 2008/09 season, Villa fans will take you back to the start of Lerners tenure two years previous.It is my belief and the basis for my bid that Aston Villa can compete at the highest level within the Premiership and in Europe, said Lerner after the Americans £62.6m takeover from Doug Ellis in 2006.The Holte End sang USA, USA during the good days, and kept faith in ONeill and Lerner during the bad. The owner even had the Villa crest tattooed on his ankle, and a new £8m training ground was built to improve the clubs academy. Randy Lerner ploughed millions into the club, but pulled the plug on spending when Villa missed out on the top four Villa were once again an attractive option, but they initially spent modestly, signing John Carew, Petrov and Young before an 11th-place finish in ONeills first season in 2006/07. Proud history, bright future was the motto on free scarves handed out on the final home game of the season, and that claim was correct for the short term at least.They finished sixth in 2007/08, and the foundations were there for the fourth-place push Lerner had promised. He opened his wallet further, and as spending went up, so did expectation.ONeills transfer pool didnt stretch further than the UK as Villa spent nearly £50m in the summer of 2008. Milner (£12m), Curtis Davies (£8m), Carlos Cuellar (£7.8m), Steven Sidwell (£5m), Luke Young (£5m), Nicky Shorey (£4m), Emile Heskey (£3.5m) and Brad Friedel (£2.5m) arrived, while only £3m went out of the door. The fees and wages spent would come back to hurt the club. Martin ONeill was in charge at Villa until 2010, leaving five days before the start of the season Villa recovered from their 2008/09 disappointment to threaten again in 2009/10, and continued to spend in the market. Another £40m worth of talent came in, but the result was similar; a sixth-place finish as Villa lost in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.Barry started a worrying trend by leaving Villa in the summer of 2009 for Manchester City, whose spending left ONeill, Lerner and co trailing behind.Lerners media appearances were few and far between, but he was quick to assure fans that both ONeill and star player Milner were going nowhere despite strong rumours of unrest. Eric Black reflects on Aston Villas relegation, which was sealed with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday I am not worried about losing James Milner, he said in May 2010, before adding: Martin will be back next year managing. It has already been settled.Milner was soon to follow Barry out of the door to City, after a long-running transfer saga which left ONeill frustrated. The Northern Irishman wanted another go at fourth-place to match Citys spending, but Lerner had one hand on the plugs chain and spending was halted.Villa had yet to make a senior summer signing when ONeill shocked everyone by leaving the club five days before the start of the 2010/11 season, and despite his replacement Gerard Houllier showing glimpses of a promising project, he left at the end of the season with health issues after a ninth-place finish. Villas 2008/09 season saw them challenging for a top-four spot Lerner and the boards decision-making was then heavily criticised as Villa appointed Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, despite the spray-painted bed sheets and protests from supporters pleading with the club not to appoint the man who relegated their bitter rivals from three miles down the road.A new approach to transfers followed as Villas books were splattered in red. Young and Stewart Downing left, and the transfer policy was made clear to McLeish from day one.Lerner and the board simply asked if we could reduce the wages to get to a certain level but remain competitive within the league, McLeish told Sky Sports. I knew right away it was going to be a tough task. Alex McLeish was brought in to reduce the wage bill Villa survived, just, in 16th place, and after a final day defeat at Paul Lamberts Norwich, the travelling support were calling for the man in the opposition dugout to save them.McLeish was sacked, Lambert arrived, but it merely delayed the inevitable. His first transfer window was promising, bringing in Christian Benteke, Ron Vlaar and Ashley Westwood, among others, for £25m. Benteke was a masterstroke, and his goals, along with the rise and rise of Fabian Delph, kept Villa in the Premier League for two more seasons.I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football, and I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit, said Lerner in May 2014 upon announcing the club was up for sale.Fans felt Lerner had outstayed his welcome, but the club continued to outstay theirs in the Premier League as Villa remained unsold. Tim Sherwood kept Villa up and got them to an FA Cup final, but was sacked in the autumn They were heading for relegation last February before Lambert was replaced by Tim Sherwood, whose short-term invigoration saved the club and led them to an FA Cup final.Villa failed to turn up against Arsenal at Wembley, and the current campaign was played out in similar fashion.It needs investment, Lambert had pleaded 12 months earlier, but Villa had to sell to buy. Benteke and Delph left for £40m, 11 senior players arrived for over £50m, but never gelled.Sherwood was sacked, and Frenchman Remi Garde was chosen as the sacrificial lamb when managers with survival and Premier League experience seemed a brighter option. Remi Garde was sacked in March after winning just two Premier League games He failed to make a team out of the misfits, and Jamie Carraghers comments after Villas 6-0 defeat by Liverpool in February summed it up.I always think when teams go down theres always two or three players where other managers in the Premier League will try and take them.I cant imagine one Premier League manager looking at that team and thinking theres one player there hed want to take into his squad. Thats how poor they are.That brings us to today. A relegation that has been five years in the making sees the Premier League lose one of their seven ever-present clubs. Villa must now rebuild in the Championship, but no new manager has been appointed Fans will have a glimmer of hope that stability upstairs can aid a clean restart and rebuild after some staffing shake-ups in recent months, but the current squad needs an injection of intelligence, fight and second-tier experience. That goes for the new manager, too.The feeling around Villa Park is that fans have been starved of a team to support for the last nine months. Fans are struggling to identify with current players, and affiliation more or less stops at the club crest.That crest was altered last week, the word Prepared removed for a new design. Preparation for the Championship starts now as fans pray for a team they can love once again. Aston Villa supporters hold protesting banners during their dismal 2015/16 campaign Adidas Ultra Boost Uncaged Heren . The deal will pay Hainsey $3 million for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons and $2.5 million in 2016-17. Adidas Ultra Boost Nederland . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. http://www.nmdtekoop.com/nmd-r1-sneakers.html . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Adidas Superstar Dames Goedkoop .ca Fantasy Editor Scott Cullen, NFL Editor Ben Fisher, and Isaac Owusu discuss three hot fantasy football topics. Adidas Stan Smith Heren Sale . The Wizards gave up two seldom-used players — forward Jan Vesely and point guard Eric Maynor. Vesely goes to the Nuggets, while Maynor gets shipped to the 76ers. Philadelphia receives two second-round draft picks, one from the Wizards in 2015 and one from the Nuggets in 2016.MELBOURNE, Australia - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for Formula Ones season-opening Australian Grand Prix in a rainy qualifying session Saturday, while four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will start the race from 12th after being caught out by the wet conditions. Vettel was joined by fellow big-name drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button in dropping out of qualifying in the second session as they struggled on the wet surface at the Albert Park street circuit. While Vettel struck trouble, his new Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo thrived, qualifying second, three tenths of a second behind Hamiltons pole time. Ricciardo narrowly missed becoming the first Australian to take pole in his home race. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg qualified third, ahead of McLarens impressive debutant Kevin Magnussen, who put in a heady drive in tricky conditions, and Ferraris Fernando Alonso. Hamiltons pole position took him level on 32 career poles with British compatriot Nigel Mansell. "Today was so much harder for everyone in these conditions," Hamilton said. "These cars are a lot harder to drive in the wet and the first time for me driving this car in the rain. To be up here is a great showing for the team." Vettel had complained during the pre-qualifying practice session about the handling of the car, describing it as "horrible." The cars handling seemed to deteriorate even further during qualifying, with Vettel ending up 2.4 seconds off Ricciardos pace in the Q2 session. "I struggled with drivability," Vettel said. "We have lost that overnight, so we need to find out why that was." Raikkonen had lagged behind his Ferrari teammate Alonso through the race weekend as they embark on what should be a keen rivalry, and his qualifying ended when he crashed into a track wall after hiitting a wet patch when accelerating away from a bend.dddddddddddd McLarens Button was caught out by the yellow flags from the Raikkonen incident and qualified 11th. Button, Vettel and Raikkonen will all be promoted one spot on the grid because Williams Valtteri Bottas was given a five-place penalty for changing a gearbox. Ricciardo notched his career best in qualifying, bettering his fifth place at last years British Grand Prix. "Im really excited but at the same time still staying calm and collected because tomorrow is what counts, so theres no point in having a party tonight," he said. Rosbergs third position was less than he had hoped after topping the timesheets in pre-qualifying practice and in the Q1 session, but Mercedes had clearly been the fastest car over the weekend and he is still well positioned to fight for victory. "It could have been better but third was OK and we have a good racing car, so from third anything can happen," Rosberg said. Toro Rossos Jean-Eric Vergne qualified sixth in another career-best performance — beating his seventh position at Canada last year. Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, followed by Toro Rossos 19-year-old debutant Daniil Kyvat in an impressive eighth and Williams Felipe Massa in ninth. Bottas qualified 10th but drops down because of the penalty. Sundays race is forecast to be dry, with only a small chance of rain. It will be a journey into the unknown for all teams as they get a first chance to see how their new V6 turbo hybrid engines and reconfigured aerodynamics perform over a two-hour race. Australia is among the highest fuel consumption races on the F1 calendar, and with fuel limits sliced to 100 kilograms this year compared to around 160 last year, Sundays race looms as a test of engine and fuel management more than an outright race. ' ' '

Ola Toivonens second-half strike rescued a 1-1 draw for Sweden against Russia in Stockholm in European Championship qualifying on Thursday.Russia, managed by Fabio Capello, kept first place in Group G with four points from two games.Level on points was Austria, which beat Moldova 2-1 away, and Montenegro, which was unable to beat tiny Liechtenstein in a goalless draw.The Swedes languish in fourth with two points after the draw with Russia followed an opening-day draw in Austria. They are without a win in three competitive fixtures dating to their failed attempt to reach the World Cup.Sweden went behind after 10 minutes when Artyom Dzyuba set Alexander Kokorin free behind the Swedish defence, and the striker slotted the ball past Andreas Isaksson with a low shot from outside the box.Sweden missed a good chance to respond almost immediately when Sebastian Larssons penalty was saved by Igor Akinfeev, making a symbolic recovery from a World Cup campaign marred by errors.The spot kick was awarded after Russia right back Igor Smolnikov was adjudged to have brought down Jimmy Durmaz as they battled for the ball on the edge of the six-yard box.Toivonen brought Sweden level in the 49th, finishing from close range off a left-wing cross from Durmaz.Soon afterwards, Toivonen limped off with a pulled hamstring.Midfielder Oleg Shatov could have won the game for Russia in the 58th when he picked up a pass from Kokorin and rounded Isaksson, but contrived to miss the target.With political tensions high between Russia and the European Union, the Russian anthem was booed and jeered by some Swedish fans at Friends Arena. Some Russian fans displayed banners linked to a rebel group in eastern Ukraine.Sweden was without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who remained an unused substitute because of a heel injury.In Moldova, Austria took the lead on 11 minutes through a David Alaba penalty, but was pegged back 16 minutes later when Moldovas Alexandru Dedov levelled from the spot.Marc Janko headed the winner in the 51st but was later sent off near the end for violent conduct in a disagreement with Moldova goalkeeper Ilie Cebanu.Liechtenstein earned a rare competitive point with its 0-0 draw at home against Montenegro, which would have led the group by two points with a win. Nike Air Force 1 Norge Prisjakt . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. Air Force 1 Norge . -- Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh says he isnt going to change what he does on the field. http://www.airforce1norge.com/nike-tanjun-norge.html .Kessy tried to show what he can do playing left wing for the Oilers in 5-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday in pre-season action. Nike Air Force 1 Salg .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps. Air Force 1 Herre Norge . Vonn "reopened" the idea of competing in the season-opening World Cup event on Oct. 26-27 in Soelden, Austria after returning to the slopes last month in Portillo, Chile.Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (5) - Quick put a show on Friday night, as he was dialed in from puck drop and exuded confidence all night long. The prime examples were the Corey Perry penalty shot and then the big breakaway chance he had where he had some words with him after the play. He also robbed Ryan Getzlaf two massive times and it was hard not to call him a clutch goaltender. He delivers when the chips are down, with a ferocious work ethic in the net. Quick proved hes not only a bbig money goalie, but knows how to step up at the right time.dddddddddddd John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (1) - Gibson looked like he was 20 on Friday night, as he had some rebound issues, wasnt getting a lot of help from teammates, but looked uncomfortable and a bit nervous. He fought the puck all night long before he was lifted. But Gibson has a great future in this league. I was always concerned about him having to shoulder the responsibilities without a lot of experience, but he Will grow as a goalie and become one of the special ones. Jonas Hiller, Anaheim Ducks (3) - He wasnt tested much, with not a lot of chance on the goals-against, but he did a decent job of mopping up after it was 4-0. ' ' '

TOKYO -- Canada was 1-1 after Fridays opening day of play in a Davis Cup tie against Japan. In the opener of the World Group first-round series, world No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont., in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Polansky, who is ranked 135th in the world in mens singles, had replaced Milos Raonic on Canadas Davis Cup team after Raonic pulled out a left foot injury on Thursday. But Canada pulled even in the second match when Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., a 29-year-old veteran of 19 Davis Cup ties, defeated Go Soeda 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-1. "Its 1-1 and both No.1 players did their job," said Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau. "Its a big point for us especially after we lost Milos so we are happy with today. We always like to savour the win a little bit but then we will regroup and focus on doubles tomorrow which is always a critical point in the tie." Next up is a doubles match Saturday featuring Toronto veteran Daniel Nestor and Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil, followed by two more singles matches Sunday. Fridays first set of the day was one of shifting momentum as Nishikori jumped out to a 2-0 lead but Polansky came back to win four straight games and go up a break. Nishikori then took the control back, claiming the next four games and the set. Nishikori increased his level even further in the second and third sets, running Polansky all over the court with his defensive play. "I think we both played really well today and there werent too many lapses of focus," said Polansky. "The difference was he played a bit better on some of the bigger points. He converted more break points than I did and we had a lot of long rallies which he did better on as well." In the second match, Soeda went up a quick break but Dancevic won the final five games of the first set to take the early lead. The second set was evenly matched as both players held serve through to a tiebreak where Dancevic fed off the small but noisy Canadian crowd to up his game. Dancevic carried that dominance into the third to close it out and give Canada a much needed point. "I was really happy with my performance today," said Dancevic. "He started off really well and it made me focus more to get back into it. As the match went on I got more and more confidence and was able to finish really strong. The Canadian crowd was great and they really motivated me and kept me in the zone today. The team and bench also got behind me and that little bit of extra emotion to get going again makes a difference." The winner of the best-of-five tie will move on to the quarter-finals in April versus the winner of the first-round tie between Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The losing team will have to play a World Group playoff tie in September to retain their spot in the top level of the competition. Gilbert Perreault Sabres Jersey .C. -- Theyll remember the OT from the first Syracuse-Duke game -- and the Ts that decided Round 2. Carter Hutton Jersey . Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 -- his worst score of the season -- on TPC San Antonios AT&T Oaks Course. Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136. http://www.sabresteamstoreonline.com/authentic-alexander-mogilny-sabres-jersey/ . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. Rasmus Dahlin Jersey . Bjoerndalen broke the record he shared with cross-country skiing great Bjoern Daehlie, also matching his fellow Norwegians record of eight gold medals. Bjoerndalen earlier won gold in Sochi in the mens sprint biathlon. Linus Ullmark Jersey . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night.LIVERPOOL, England -- Scarves donated by football clubs across the world were laid out in the centre circle at Anfield, forming the shape of the number "96" beneath a clear blue sky. Outside the stadium, two middle-aged men -- one wearing a Liverpool shirt and the other an Everton jersey -- shared a warm embrace next to the famous Shankly Gates. Tuesday was the day the global football community, and in particular Merseysiders, united to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal. The focal point on a day of commemoration and remembrance was Anfield, where Liverpool players past and present and the families of the victims were among the estimated 30,000 people who attended a moving memorial service. Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez, the managers of Liverpool and Everton, delivered readings and then made short addresses in which they paid their respects to the men, women and children who died in Britains worst sports tragedy. Both earned standing ovations. "We will always strive to honour the families and the memory of the 96 that we lost," said Rodgers, his voice beginning to tremble. "Youll Never Walk Alone," he added, a nod to the clubs anthem. Bells from churches across the region rang 96 times and Liverpools public transport came to a halt for a minutes silence at 3:06 p.m. (1406 GMT) -- the time the fateful match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was stopped following a crush in a standing-only section of Sheffield Wednesdays Hillsborough ground. A short memorial also was held across Stanley Park at Evertons Goodison Park, after which schoolchildren led a procession to Anfield holding 96 linked football scarves. And tributes poured in from across the world, with FIFA President Sepp Blatter sending a letter to the English Football Association in which he expressed "my deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the 96 who so tragically lost their lives in tthe Hillsborough disaster.dddddddddddd" Flags at FIFAs member associations were flown at half-mast on Tuesday. UEFA President Michel Platini and British Prime Minister David Cameron also sent their condolences to the victims families of the 96. It isnt just the disaster that has left a deep scar on the club and city. The grieving families have spent 25 years seeking justice after authorities initially sought to place the blame on the victims by characterizing the tragedy as a result of hooliganism. The original accidental death verdicts were overturned by the High Court in London in 2012 after documents uncovered a coverup by police, and fresh inquests into the fatalities are currently being held in a bid to get the deaths officially described as unlawful killings. The inquests have been adjourned this week because of the anniversary. "The authorities took on the wrong city if they thought they were going to get away with it," Martinez said to loud cheers. The service was interrupted on two occasions by chants of "Justice for the 96." Accompanying the grieving and ongoing suffering of the families is a sense of optimism that justice is about to be served. There is also a feel-good factor in Merseyside because of the exploits of the two clubs this season, with Everton on course to qualify for next seasons Champions League and Liverpool top of the Premier League by two points as it seeks a first championship in 24 years. "Stress is good," Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said in the direction of the Liverpool squad at the end of her address, "... it makes you fight and I know that is what you are going to do to get this championship." The service started with local clergymen reading out the names of the 96 victims, with a light being lit inside a Band of Life sculpture in memory of each person. It ended with 96 balloons being released as fans sang a stirring rendition of "Youll Never Walk Alone." ' ' '

BOSTON -- Golden State didnt need another winning, last-second basket this time. The Warriors led by at least 20 points throughout the second half and beat the Boston Celtics 108-88 on Wednesday night, showing no letdown one day after edging the Indiana Pacers on a field goal with 0.6 seconds left. Klay Thompson hit that 12-foot turnaround to beat one of the NBAs best teams, 98-96. Against one of the worst, Thompson and David Lee scored 18 points each as the Warriors ended their road trip with a 4-2 record. "This win validates last night," Thompson said. The Warriors were determined not to ease up against much weaker competition than they faced at Indiana, which has the leagues best home record. "It was big for us," Lee said. "The starters really wanted to come out and set the tone tonight and not give the Celtics team any life." That plan worked. The Warriors scored the first six points and led 12-2 with just over five minutes gone as they moved a season-high 14 games over .500 with a 38-24 record. "I read where if we lost this game then that takes away (Tuesdays win). You cannot forget how tough it is to win games in this league," Golden State coach Mark Jackson said. "Fortunately, we did not fall in love with what we did in Indy." The Celtics (20-41) provided little resistance and lost for the seventh time in eight games. "It was a struggle for us," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "Id like to find something that I could say we were better in, but there wasnt anything." Former Celtic Jordan Crawford had 15 points and Stephen Curry added 14 for the Warriors, who won for the seventh time in nine games. Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points for Boston. "We dont want to keep embarrassing ourselves and that is the mentality we are going to have," Jeff Green said. Lee started the scoring with an 18-footer and Andre Iguodala followed with a layup and a dunk for a 6-0 lead. Jerryd Bayless then hit a fadeaway jumper for Boston, but Golden State got the next six points on dunks by Curry and Thompson and a layup by Lee. The game was still competitive when Bayless two free throws cut Golden States lead to 42-33 with 5:55 left in the first half. Then Thompsons 3-pointer began a 19-7 run that gave the Warriors a 61-40 lead at halftime. Baskets by Lee and Andrew Bogut made it 49-33 before Rajon Rondo sank a free throw and Jared Sullinger made two for Boston. But then Golden State scored the next six points on a short jumper by Lee, a dunk by Iguodala and a 16-footer by Curry. A 3-pointer by Green cut the margin to 55-38, but Curry followed with a 3-point play. Rondo answered with a layup before Iguodala finished the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining. The sloppy Celtics committed 12 turnovers in the first half, leading to 15 points, while the Warriors turned the ball over just twice, leading to two points. "What hurt us more than maybe anything were the turnovers in the first half that led to the dunks that got those guys going," Stevens said. "I didnt think our effort was great." The Warriors took their biggest lead, 31 points, when two straight baskets by Thompson made it 80-49 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. "Theyre hitting their stride a little bit," Stevens said. Now the Warriors head home for 13 of their remaining 20 games. "We took care of business on the road," Lee said. "Our thought is we shouldnt lose any more games at home." NOTES: Golden State has 20 road wins, tied with Oklahoma City for second most in the NBA. ... Jackson rested his starters in the fourth quarter. ... Rondo had 14 points and seven assists, but also had seven turnovers. ... Lee had a game-high 10 rebounds, while Bogut blocked three shots. Nemanja Bjelica Kings Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Mitch Richmond Kings Jersey . Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-Mitch-Richmond-Kings-Jersey/ . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Jason Williams Kings Jersey .Martin Caceres marked his return from injury by scoring in the 3-1 win at Napoli and he believes Juventus sent out a warning to the rest of the league with that result.We go out on the pitch every game looking to give our all, Caceres said. DeMarcus Cousins Jersey .com) - The Oakland Athletics needed to rely on a lot of young pitchers to win an American League West title this season.NEW YORK -- Welcome to Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Plenty of running backs are still available. For the second straight year, no running backs were selected in the first round. Before last year, that had never happened in the common draft era, which started in 1967 with the merger of the NFL and AFL. Once one of the footballs glamour positions, running backs have now been relegated to role players in the NFL. Star college backs such as Carlos Hyde, Bishop Sankey, Tre Mason and KaDeem Carey should start coming off the boards Friday night, when Rounds 2 and 3 are held at Radio City Music Hall. Round 1 on Thursday night started with South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney going to the Houston Texans and ended with the Minnesota Vikings trading back into the first round to pick Teddy Bridgewater. The Louisville quarterback wasnt the only high-profile passer to have a long wait backstage. Texas A&Ms Johnny Manziel waited about 3 hours before the Browns pulled off a trade to take the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner with pick No. 22. Now Johnny Football is Johnny Cleveland and the Texans are back on the clock, maybe looking for quarterback. Houston has the first pick of the second round. The Washington Redskins will get their draft started on Friday, with the second pick of Round 2, No. 34 overall. The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks also have yet to make it pick. Seattle traded out of the first round, giving the Vikings the 32nd pick they used to take Bridgewater and getting back Nos. 40 and 108. Barring a trade up, Indianapolis would be the last team to draft. The Colts first pick is the 27th of the second round, No. 59 overall. Here are five things to look for on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. RUNNING MEN: Who will be the first running back off the board, and which team will break the seal? Ohio States Hyde is a good bet to be the answer to the first question. Hes big (230 pounds) and quick and doesnt have many miles on those big legs compared to some of the other workhorse backs. Arizonas Carey had 652 carries in his last two college seasons. Washingtons Sankey had 616. Hyde had 523 in four seasons at Ohio State. Mason, a Heisman finalist from Auburn, was relatively lightly used -- until last season. Other top running backs: LSUs Jeremy Hilll; West Virginias Charles Sims; Towsons Terrance West; and Boston Colleges Andre Williams, another Heisman finalist.dddddddddddd Teams in need of a back include Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland and Miami. With running-back-by-committee all the rage, teams like to stockpile at the position -- without using first-round picks. STILL IN THE GREEN ROOM: Thirty players attended the NFL draft, so its no surprise that more than a few will have to return to Radio City for Day 2. Unpicked after the first round were: Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy; Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo; Minnesota defensive tackle RaShede Hageman; Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio; Indiana receiver Cody Latimer; USC receiver Marqise Lee; USC centre Marcus Martin; Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews; and Virginia tackle Morgan Moses. CATCHING ON: If your team still needs a receiver after five were taken in Round 1, no need to fret. There is plenty of talent left at what is considered the deepest position in the draft. Start with Lee, who was being talked about as a possible top-10 pick after he was an All-American as a sophomore. A spotty junior season dropped his stock, but he could be a Day 2 steal. Dont be surprised if there is a run on receivers Friday with Matthews and Latimer, along with Fresno States Davante Adams, Mississippis Donte Moncrief, Penn States Allen Robinson and LSUs Jarvis Landry among those picked. OBRIENS QB. New Texans coach Bill OBrien said the team would draft a quarterback at some point. At the top of the second round Fresno States Derek Carr is available, along with Garoppolo, Pittsburghs Tom Savage, LSUs Zach Mettenberger, Alabamas AJ McCarron and Georgias Aaron Murray. Houston might be willing to wait until Day 3 to address quarterback. On Thursday, there were published reports the team was working to trade for Patriots backup Ryan Mallett. WHAT ABOUT SAM? Missouri linebacker Michael Sam, who publicly came out as homosexual in February, is hoping to be drafted this weekend, but its probably overly optimistic to expect him to be selected Friday. Its more likely the focus on when, where and if Sam goes will occur Saturday during rounds four through seven. The NFL has never had an active, openly gay player. ' ' '

MONTREAL - There was something special in the way that Montreal Canadiens fans embraced Saku Koivu.And the Bell Centre crowd showed it again on Thursday night with a standing ovation in a 30-minute pre-game tribute to the former Canadiens captain ahead of a game against the Anaheim Ducks.The nearly five-minute ovation brought tears to the 40-year-old Koivu, who retired after spending the last five years of his 18-year NHL career in Anaheim.I always felt that I was respected as a player and for the way I played the game, but what makes me feel humble was the way I was loved by the fans, Koivu said before the tribute. Sometimes you think about why it happened, why they took me as their own.You cant explain it, but there has been a real, unique bond between the fans in Montreal and myself. Theyve shown their passion and love and support throughout the years and really, its been amazing.The ceremony began with a scoreboard montage of photos and a mix of mostly fans and former teammates thanking him and saluting his hockey career.Koivus wife Hanna, daughter Ilona and son Aatos, his father Jukka and mother Tuire were on the ice as he gave a moving 15-minute speech without the help of written notes.Bonjour mes amis de Montreal (hello my Montreal friends), he began in French before switching to English to acknowledge another former captain, Jean Beliveau, who died Dec. 2 and who was the subject of a sombre pre-game ceremony only last week.He was the ultimate captain, Koivu told the crowd about Beliveau. When I think of the great legends that were here before my time I feel honoured and privileged to have served as captain of the Canadiens for nine years. I consider that my greatest achievement.The crowd roared when he said Montreal truly is the most exciting place to play hockey, and I will always be a Hab in my heart.The night had been planned since before the season for the night the Ducks visited the Bell Centre.He thanked every player, coach trainer and equipment man he worked with in Montreal. He thanked J.S.Tremblay, the former player and scout who convinced the Canadiens to draft him.But he choked up thanking the team of doctors who saved his life when he was struck by abdominal cancer ahead of the 2001-02 season.After being presented with a painting by the remaining Canadiens from his time in Montreal, he ended his speech in French, saying he will love the Montreal fans forever.Koivu, a gifted centre from Finland, lived through soaring highs and terrible lows in his 13 seasons with the Canadiens from 1995 to 2009.Never moreso than in 2001-02, when he was diagnosed with abdominal cancer at the start of training camp. After a season of debilitating treatments, he shocked the hockey world by returning with three games left in the regular season.At his first game back, fans stood and cheered for several minutes.Then Koivu helped the Canadiens make the playoffs as the eighth and final seed, and knock off the first-place Boston Bruins in the first round.That year, the lows I went through and then being able to come back and be a factor in the series, it was a dream come true, he told reporters earlier in the day. Its like the whole story was written before.I dont want to use the word regret, but probably the only thing (missing), and Im not only even talking about winning a Stanley Cup, is really, genuinely competing and maybe being in the finals. Because we saw that a few times, winning in the first and second round, how this city reacts when you win. That year was special.The following season, Koivu had his best campaign with 71 points, but what won the fans over even more was how he started a foundation to raise $7 million for a PET scan machine to help in cancer diagnosis for others.The story of Koivus career was great talent but terrible luck.Koivu was selected 21st overall in the 1993 draft and looked to be a scoring star in the making until his career was slowed by a series of knee and shoulder injuries. He was named captain in 1998, a job he held for 10 years.He joined the Canadiens in 1995, just in time to see the storied franchise come apart with the replacement of general manager Serge Savard and coach Jacques Demers with the inexperienced Rejean Houle and Mario Tremblay.Three months later, star goalie Patrick Roy was traded to Colorado and the team went into a downward spiral that took years to stop.That first few months, and then having the last game at the Forum and first game at the Bell Centre, I pretty much saw everything that can happen all in that first year, said Koivu. And I realized fairly quickly how big hockey is in this city and this province.There were a tough few years not making the playoffs, but in the early 2000s, I think everybody saw a complete change and turnaround. Winning the Eastern Conference one year and having talented players coming up pretty much every year. It made a difference. I think the franchise is on that path now and their future is really bright.It was frustrating and hard but at the same time Im really happy I stayed here and I was able to see the other side as well, a successful team.Another scary moment followed in the 2006 playoffs, when he was high-sticked by Carolinas Justin Williams and suffered damage to his left eye.The setbacks, and the grace and determination with which he fought back and handled them, had much to do with the affection fans developed for the first European ever to wear the C for the Canadiens.On his first game at the Bell Centre as an Anaheim Duck in 2011, he got another long ovation instead of the boos departed Habs often get on their return.I really didnt know what to expect because Id seen some former players that played somewhere else come here and the reception wasnt always as good, he said. It was a pleasant surprise.It was like coming home, and when I got the reaction from the fans, I really felt the love and respect.After the 2008-09 season, the Koivu family decided they needed a change. He signed a one-year deal as a free agent with Anaheim and ended up staying for five. It gave him a chance to play for a contender, even if the Ducks fell short of winning a Cup.He ended his career with 255 goals and 832 points in 1,124 games.He also played in four Olympics for Finland, winning a silver and three bronze medals. And he led Finland to silver at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.He and his family havent decided whether to stay in California or return to Finland. He expects to stay in hockey in some capacity, coaching perhaps, but hasnt worked that out yet either.For now, hes getting used to being a retired player, while acting as assistant coach of Aatos team.I havent lost the passion for the game, he said. 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If they lose, Germany will get the last quarter-final berth.CHENNAI, India - Stan Wawrinkas preparations for the defence of his Australian Open title appear on track as he notched a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 victory over Slovenian qualifier Aljaz Bedene to win the Chennai Open on Sunday.It was the second consecutive title victory at Chennai and third overall for the top-seeded player, who did not drop a set in the tournament.The Swiss played fluently, managing service breaks in the sixth game of the first set and the seventh of the next, completing the win in 1 hour, 10 minutes.Im looking forward to the Australian Open, the fourth-ranked Wawrinka said. Its going to be a strange feeling to come back as the defending champion in a Grand Slam. But right now, I want to enjoy this trophy. Its not every week you win a trophy and its really tough to win on the ATP Tour.Wawrrinka said he was happy at the way he has been playing.ddddddddddddts amazing to win again, to start the year with a trophy. Im very happy with my level. It was a great final. He (Bedene) has been through the qualifier, beating a lot of seeds and its been good for him too, Wawrinka said.Bedene, the first qualifier to reach the final at the Chennai Open after knocking out three seeded players, said his hard work had paid off.Stan played amazing today, the 156th-ranked Bedene said. Its been a great week. I guess hard work has paid off for me. This is now my favourite tournament for three years and Ill be back here next year.It was the third time the two players met at the Chennai Open with Bedene winning their quarterfinal match in 2013 and Wawrinka prevailing at the same stage last year. ' ' '