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created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Forward Andrea Bargnani has left the Toronto Raptors game at the Portland Trail Blazers with a right elbow injury. Bargnani was injured late in the first quarter on Monday night when he fell awkwardly after going up for a dunk. He went to the locker room and the team tweeted that X-rays came back negative on his right elbow, though he would not return to the game. Bargnani was averaging 16.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 20 games this season. Cheap Jerseys From China . Garnett scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and remained unbeaten against his former team as the Boston Celtics beat the Timberwolves 104-94 on Wednesday night in Rajon Rondos return from a two-game suspension. Cheap Jerseys Online . -- Jishan Sharples scored in double overtime as the McGill Redmen edged the Western Mustangs 7-6 on Sunday to win the Baggataway Cup. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/hot.html .P. Arencibia. Lifted at a critical moment in favour of a pinch hitter just 11 days ago, the Toronto Blue Jays catcher has responded with some impressive power numbers.SEATTLE -- DeAnthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner sandwiched touchdown runs around Avery Pattersons 34-yard interception return for a score, and No. 2 Oregon used a third-quarter scoring blitz to shake Washington State for a 51-26 win on Saturday night. Playing for the first time outside the Eugene city limits, the Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) looked shaky at times in the first half and led just 23-19 at the break, but put together a nearly flawless third quarter to run away from the Cougars. Thomas capped an 18-play drive to start the half with a 4-yard TD, then Patterson stepped in front of Connor Hallidays pass for Oregons third interception return for a TD in two games. After Washington State (2-3, 0-2) went three-and-out, Barner scored on a 10-yard run to cap the 21-point spurt in just over 4 minutes. Barner finished with four total touchdowns, including scoring runs of 22 yards in the first quarter and an 80-yarder in the fourth to go along with a 30-yard touchdown reception in the first half. His 195 yards rushing was the second-best rushing game of his career behind the 201 yards he had against Fresno State earlier this season. The Ducks started the second-half with their longest scoring drive -- by plays -- of the season, a methodical 18-play march that ate up more than 6 minutes. They ran nine times and threw nine times on the drive and only three times faced third down. The last came from the Cougars 4 when Barner went in motion and the middle opened for quarterback Marcus Mariota to hand off to Thomas, who plowed in for his fifth rushing TD of the season. Before Washington State got a chance to answer, Patterson was stepping in front of a pass intended for Gabe Marks and racing untouched the other direction for a score. Patterson joined Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Troy Hill with returning interceptions for touchdowns this season. After another three-and-out by the Cougars and a short punt, Oregon needed just seven plays for Barner to find the end zone for the third time and a 44-19 lead. Barner put a cap on his night and an explosive second half when he escaped a pileup near the Oregon sidelinne and skirted free to run 80 yards early in the fourth quarter.dddddddddddd His four total TDs is second behind a five-touchdown performance in 2010 against New Mexico. Mariota finished 21 of 32 passing for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the first road start of his career. Thomas had just six touches in the first half for a total of 33 yards and no play longer than 15. He got four touches on the first drive of the second half alone including the capping TD run. He also got his first kickoff returns of the season after most teams had refused to kick toward the speedy sophomore, but his longest return was 19 yards. Washington State continued its series of playing once a year at the home of the Seattle Seahawks and for the foreseeable future it will be either Oregon or Oregon State as the foe. While the crowd of 60,929 was mostly crimson, there was plenty of green and highlighter yellow that made the trip north to see the Ducks first road game of the season. Connor Halliday threw for 348 yards and Marquess Wilson had 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown to become Washington States all-time leader in yards receiving. But the Cougars had no ground game finishing with (minus)-8 net yards rushing. Halliday was sacked seven times. Washington State has proved a somewhat problematic foe for the Ducks the past few years. In 2010 in Pullman, the Cougars hung around into the third quarter before losing 43-23 and last year in Eugene, Washington State trailed just 15-10 at halftime before getting overrun in the second half. Saturday night was the same, with the Cougars falling behind 20-3 late in the first quarter. Washington State scored 16 of the next 19 points, getting a 2-yard TD run from Carl Winston following Teondary Caldwells 92-yard kickoff return, and Brett Bartolones 26-yard touchdown reception to pull within 23-19 at the half. The Cougars had a chance to go to the break with the lead, driving to the Ducks 17 late in the half before three straight sacks of Halliday forced Washington State to punt. That proved to be the Cougars last chance to hang around. ' ' ' 

PHILADELPHIA -- Greg McElroy accomplished more in one half than Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow did in three games. Still, theres no quarterback controversy with the New York Jets. McElroy became the first quarterback to lead the Jets into the end zone this preseason in a 28-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. The Jets (0-4) were the first team in 35 years to go three preseason games without a touchdown, matching the 1977 Atlanta Falcons for offensive futility. McElroy ended that drought. His reward will be a seat on the bench. "Im glad we got it," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "Im not going to sit here and say I wish we (hadnt scored). I wouldve liked to have saved it and tack it on next week." The Jets open against Buffalo on Sept. 9. The Eagles will play at Cleveland. Sanchez, Tebow and most of the Jets starters didnt play in this battle between backups and guys fighting for roster spots. Michael Vick and all of Philadelphias starters watched from the sideline. Trent Edwards threw for 197 yards and two TDs to help the Eagles (4-0) finish unbeaten in the preseason for the first time since 1995. None of that will matter when the games count. Hours before kickoff, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie stopped just short of issuing a win-or-else ultimatum to coach Andy Reid. Lurie said the team must make a "substantial improvement" for Reid to return for his 15th season next year. He added another 8-8 record would be "unacceptable." "I dont have a level or anything like that," Lurie said. "I want to be clear about that. You try to make the best judgment you can after the season." Reids contract runs through 2013. "I dont care about that stuff," Reid said. "He has high expectations. I have high expectations. Lets go play. We surely wont be satisfied with 8-8. Were striving for better than that. Im not worried about it. I understand the business. I have a great relationship with Jeffrey." The Jets hadnt scored a TD in the 13 quarters before McElroy tossed a 6-yard TD pass to Terrance Ganaway midway through the second. Sanchez and Tebow failed to do that in 35 possessions. McElroy finished 12 of 17 for 90 yards and one TD. He also rushed for 33 yards. "Obviously we went out there with the intention and the hope to score some touchdowns, so we were able to get one," McElroy said. "The execution was great. I told the guys when we were out on the field, I said: Hey, lets just make the most of this opportunity, you dont get down here very often, lets not take it for granted, lets punch it in." A seventh-round draft pick out of Alabama last year, McElroy spent his rookie season on injured reserve after dislocating his right thumb while playing against Philadelphia last preseason. McElroy was best known for his critical comment in the off-season, saying there was a "corrupt mindset" in the Jets locker room last year. Now he can say he was the only Jets QB to produce a TD this summer. "That was obviously a point of emphasis for us, was just red-area execution, and we were able to do it for at least that one drive," McElroy said. Sanchez was 24 of 35 (68.6 per cent) for 203 yards with two interceptions and six sacks. Tebow completed 36.1 per cent (13 for 36) of his passes for 151 yards with two interceptions and seven sacks. Despite Tebowmania, theres no controversy in New York. Sanchez is the clear-cut starter, but the way the Jets use Tebow will be intensely scrutinized. McElroy guided the offence on a 14-play, 77-yard drive that consumed 8:04 to put the Jets up 7-0. He scrambled for a first down on fourth-and-1 to keep the drive going. Eagles rookie QB Nick Foles, who all but officially won the backup job with three impressive performances, was 4 of 6 for 46 yards before giving way to Edwards. On Edwards first drive, Bryce Brown ran in from the 2 to tie it at 7. Edwards threw a 31-yard TD pass to Mardy Gilyard late in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead. Nick Folk kicked a 58-yard field goal as the first half expired to cut it to 14-10. Edwards connected with Brett Brackett on a 7-yard TD pass in the fourth. Chris Polks 3-yard TD run made it 28-10. Edwards, a veteran and former starter in Buffalo, is competing for a roster spot with Mike Kafka, who began training camp as the backup to Vick. Hell surely land a home if he gets cut. "I want to be here," Edwards said. "This is the team I want to play for. I feel I can help these guys." The Eagles failed to live up to enormous expectations last year and needed a four-game winning streak to close out the season at .500. "You just got to make the best decisions you can after the season," Lurie said. "As I said, 8-8 was unacceptable. Yeah, I guess, if two-thirds of the team is not playing, theres always exceptions." Lurie spoke to reporters for nearly 40 minutes in his annual state of the team address. It was originally scheduled for Aug. 5, but was cancelled because Garrett Reid, oldest son of Andy, died that day. Notes: The Eagles beat the Jets 45-19 last December. Philadelphia entered that game at 5-8 while New York was 8-5. ... Jets DE Quinton Coples had a sack in each preseason game and finished with 4 1/2. ... Newly acquired RT Jason Smith entered the game for the Jets in the second quarter. Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in 2009, was acquired from St. Louis to back up Austin Howard. ... Eagles rookie DE Vinny Curry had two sacks. RG3 Jersey . Charles, who scored on an 80-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, got hurt on a 15-yard run in the second quarter. He got up and tugged at the bottom of his shoulder pads. Redskins Griffin III Jersey . The move will reunite Johnson with former manager Mark Hughes, who spent one season in charge at Craven Cottage, while also allowing him to link up with former strike partner Bobby Zamora. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/new.html .Y. -- Canadian-owned Ill Have Another will go for the Triple Crown from post No.Talent parity among National Lacrosse League teams is so pronounced that there has not been a repeat champion since 2003. However, the Rochester Knighthawks could buck the trend in 2013. Rochester grabbed a lot of attention after winning the Champions Cup last spring by adding former league MVP forwards Dan Dawson, acquired in a huge December trade, and Casey Powell, who is making a comeback after a year off. The only team among the nine with a new head coach is the one that had the best regular-season record last year. The Calgary Roughnecks dumped Dave Pym and gave assistant Curt Malawsky the top job after being upset in the West semis. Heres a glance at the teams in the order in which they finished the last regular season: EAST 1. TORONTO, 9-7; lost division final at home 17-13 to Rochester. Last title: 2011 Season opener: Jan. 12 at Calgary GM: Terry Sanderson Head coach: Troy Cordingley Returning players: G Nick Rose, D Sandy Chapman, D Patrick Merrill, D Cam Woods, D Damon Edwards, D Jesse Gamble, D Bill Greer, D Mike Hobbins, D Stephen Hoar, D Rob Marshall, F Kasey Beirnes, F Garrett Billings, F Colin Doyle, F Rob Hellyer, F Stephan Leblanc, F Blaine Manning, F Josh Sanderson. In: G Zack Boychuk, D Chris White, T Kyle Belton, F Scott Evans, F Brandon Ivey, F Scott Johnston. Out: G Pat Campbell, D Bruce Codd, D Glen Bryan, F Jamie Rooney, F Dan Carey. Quote: "The way we exited from the playoffs last year, I cant see how any of the veterans cant come in with a little chip on their shoulder and be hungry." -- Cordingley Notes: Veteran D Phil Sanderson, who missed the last portion of the 2012 season and the playoffs due to a concussion, is on injured reserve. ... F Brenden Thenhaus, D Brad Kri and G Tyler Glebe are on the practice roster. ... Johnston wont be available for the Jan. 12 season opener in Calgary as hell be serving a one-game suspension for an illegal cross-check during a Dec. 8 Edmonton-Toronto scrimmage. ... Hellyer appeared in only one game last year before concussion symptoms wiped out his season. Hes back, and looking good on the attack. ... D Mike Lum-Walker, a second-round 2012 draft pick, is on the injured reserve list and is to undergo knee surgery this month. 2. ROCHESTER, 7-9, won Champions Cup with 9-6 home win over Edmonton. Last title: 2012 Season opener: Jan. 5 at Washington GM: Curt Styres Head coach: Mike Hasen Returning players: G Matt Vinc, G Jake Henhawk, D Sid Smith, D Mike Kirk, D Rory Glaves, D Scott Campbell, D Dylan Evans, D Jamie Batson, D Tyler Burton, T Brad Self, T Alex Kedoh Hill, F Mike Accursi, F Craig Point, F Stephen Keogh, F Cody Jamieson, F Joe Walters, F Cory Vitarelli, F Johnny Powless. In: D Paul Dawson, T Joel McCready, T Matt Hummel, F Dan Dawson, F Casey Powell. Out: D Pat McCready, T Jarrett Davis, T Jordan Hall, T Joel White. Quote: "We want to go out there and show teams that we were for real last year," says Vinc. "We will work hard every shift and are looking to defend our title. That all starts Game 1." Notes: It has been 3 1/2 years since Styres bought the `Hawks for $5,575,000, the highest price paid for a team in league history, and his work since has been nothing short of brilliant. ... Joel McCready returns after a year off learning to be a firefighter. His uncle Pat decided hed had enough of the travel and bruises. ... D Ian Llord, D Cody McLeod and T Tom Montour are on the practice roster . . . D Ryan Cousins is listed as physically unable to perform. ... Veteran D Kyle Laverty has yet to come to a contract agreement so is classified as a non-roster holdout. 3. BUFFALO, 7-9, lost division semi 7-6 in Toronto. Last title: 2008 Season opener: Jan. 11 at Philadelphia GM: Steve Dietrich Head coach: Darris Kilgour Returning players: G Anthony Cosmo, D Billy Dee Smith, D Scott Self, D Steve Priolo, T Jon Harasym, T Mark Steenhuis, T Jay Thorimbert, F John Tavares, F Tracey Kelusky, F Chad Culp, F Luke Wiles. In: G Kurtis Wager, D Derek Suddons, D Glen Bryan, D Michael McNamara, T David Brock, F Shawn Williams, T Hayden Smith, F Mike Hominuck, F Dhane Smith, F Aaron Wilson, F Nick Cottter, F Carter Bender. Out: G Mike Thompson, D Chris White, D Ian Llord, D Darryl Gibson, D Brandon Francis, T Tom Montour, T Jeremy Thompson, F Kevin Buchanan, F Roger Vyse. Quote: "Im looking forward to playing with all these new young players and seeing if we can get back to being a championship-calibre team like we had in the past." -- Tavares Notes: Its a complete Bandits makeover with a new GM, a multitude of lineup changes and new throwback uniforms. ... One thing remains the same: Tavares is at the heart of the offence. At age 44, the Mississauga high school math teacher begins his 22nd pro indoor season. ... F Derek Hopcroft, T Kevin Brownell and T Craig England are on the practice squad. ... F Mat Giles, F Jamie Rooney and T Jordan Critch are on injured reserve. ... D Jimmy Purves is physically unable to perform. 4. PHILADELPHIA, 7-9, lost division semi 14-13 in Rochester. Last title: 2001 Season opener: Jan. 11 at home vs. Buffalo GM-coach: Johnny Mouradian Returning players: G Brandon Miller, D Brett Manney, D Jeff Reynolds, D Pat Heim, D Steve Holmes, T Brodie Merrill, T Max Seibald, F Kevin Crowley, F Ned Crotty, F Drew Westervelt, F Brendan Mundorf. In: G Kevin Croswell, G Jake Lazore, D CJ Costabile, D Brian Teuber, D Chad Wiedmaier, D Michael Manley, T Kyle Hartzell, T Paul Rabil, T Jordan Hall, T Joel White, F Kevin Ross, F Kevin Buchanan, F Ethan Farrell, F Will Harrington. Out: G Kurtis Wagar, D Paul Dawson, D Tom Hajek, D Chris Schiller, D Taylor Wray, T David Brock, T Jordan Sealock, T Matt Danowski, F Dan Dawson, F Mike Hominuck. Quote: "We gave up Dan Dawson but we needed Paul Rabil in this league and were really excited to have him." -- Mouradian Notes: Mundorf, a 28-goal scorer last season, and D John McFadyen are classified as physically unable to perform so are not yet on the active roster. ... Easing the pain is the addition of Ross, who was a 28-goal man with Minnesota last season. ... D Dan Hardy and D Matt Alrich are on injured reserve. ... Mike French of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., has bought out longtime co-owners Chris Fritz and Russ Cline and now is majority owner as well as president of the Wings. WEST 1. CALGARY, 12-4, lost division semi 19-11 at home to Edmonton.dddddddddddd Last title: 2009 Season opener: Jan. 12 at home vs. Toronto GM: Mike Board Head coach: Curt Malawsky Returning players: G Mike Poulin, G Frank Scigliano, D Mike Carnegie, D Scott Carnegie, D Greg Harnett, D Jon Harnett, D Nolan Heavenor, D Curtis Manning, D Dan MacRae, D Andrew McBride, D Peter McFetridge, T Travis Cornwall, T Scott Ranger, T Jeff Shatler, T Geoff Snider, F Curtis Dickson, F Dane Dobbie, F Shawn Evans, F Daryl Veltman. In: D Matthew Dinsdale, D Brad Richardson, F Joe Resetarits, F Jackson Decker, F Aaron Pascas. Out: D Mike Kilby, F Kaleb Toth, F Cory Conway. Quote: "We still have a bad taste in our mouths over that playoff loss," Board says of last springs first-round playoff loss to Edmonton. "Everybody is fired up and ready to go." Notes: Former head coach Dave Pym now is Torontos Western Canada scout. ... With Malawsky promoted to head coach, Bruce Codd, who helped the `Necks win the title in 2009, gets the vacated assistants job. ... Dobbie is suspended for the season opener as a result of an incident late in his teams May 5 playoff loss to Edmonton. ... Dinsdale was the B.C. junior leagues scoring champion playing for the Coquitlam side that Malawsky coaches during the summer. 2. COLORADO, 11-5, lost division semi 14-10 at home to Minnesota. Last title: 2006 Season opener: Jan. 12 at home vs. Washington GM: Steve Govett Head coach: Bob Hamley Returning players: G Chris Levis, D John Gallant, D Rory Smith, D Jon Sullivan, D Dan Coates, D Mac Allen, D Creighton Reid, D Cam Holding, Mat MacLeod, T Ilija Gajic, T Joey Cupido, F John Grant Jr., F Gavin Prout, F Jordan McBride, F Adam Jones, F Sean Pollock, F Jamie Lincoln. In: G Matt Roik, T Rich Morgan, T Chet Koneczny, T Jaeden Gastaldo, F Brad Dalgarno, F Colton Clark. Out: D Ian Hawksbee, D Jed Prossner, T Scott Stewart, F Cory Conway, F Derek Hopcroft Quote: "Our team was solid last year and we think the new faces give us a great chance to be even better in 2013," says Hamley. Notes: Roik is eager to prove he can win in the NLL again after being unceremoniously dumped by Toronto 10 games into the 2012 season. ... To make room for Roik in the crease, Tye Belanger was designated as physically unable to perform. ... Six-foot-eight Morgan has been a terrifying D-man but Colorado aims to use him to set picks for league MVP John Grant Jr. ... Jarett Park is on injured reserve ... Dalgarno returns after a year off earning some seniority as a British Columbia firefighter. ... D Eric Martin and F Alex Demopoulos are on the practice squad. 3. MINNESOTA, 9-7, lost division final 15-3 at home to Edmonton. Last title: None Season opener: Jan. 12 at Buffalo Returning players: G Evan Kirk, G Tyler Carlson, D Dan Ball, D Mitch Belisle, D Nik Bilic, D Greg Downing, D Jeff Gilbert, T Andrew Suitor, T Andrew Watt, T David Earl, T Tyler Hass, T Jordan MacIntosh, F Ryan Benesch, F Jay Card, F Callum Crawford, F Joel Henry, F Pat Smith, F Corbyn Tao. In: D Alex Crepinsek, D Mike OBrien, T Kyle Matisz, F Matt Gibson, F Shayne Jackson. Out: D Joe Cinosky, D Brendan Doran, D Rich Morgan, F Kevin Ross, F Josh Gillam Quote: "When you can find speed and size in five or six new players, thats really exciting," says Sullivan. "Our fans are going to be thrilled with the tempo of our play." Notes: Suitor to sit out first two games serving league suspension. ... T Brock Sorensen, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 entry draft, is not on the active roster as hes still not fully recovered from a knee injury suffered playing NCAA field lacrosse at Ohio State last spring. ... T Tyler Tanguay, G Zach Higgins and G Ryan Masters are on the practice roster. ... The Swarm had four first-round 2012 draft picks and theyll have four more this year. 4. EDMONTON, 6-10, lost Champions Cup game 9-6 in Rochester. Last title: None Season opener: home Jan. 13 vs. Toronto Returning players: G Aaron Bold, G Brodie MacDonald, D Brett Mydske, D Kyle Rubisch, D Chris Corbeil, D Ryan Dilks, D Jarrett Toll, D Jeff Cornwall, D John Lintz, T Jim Quinlan, T John Lafontaine, F Zack Greer, F Tom Johnson, F Ryan Ward, F Cory Small. In: T Jeremy Thompson, T Jarrett Davis, F Mark Matthews, F Curtis Knight, F Cory Conway, F Mitchell Banister, F Michael Burke, F Alex Turner. Out: D Derek Suddons, D Tyler Codron, T Steve Toll, F Shawn Williams, F Aaron Wilson, F Scott Evans. Quote: "We have reached our objective of infusing youth, speed and athleticism in all areas while at the same time maintaining some veteran leadership," says Keenan. Notes: Codron has joined the Burnaby, B.C., fire department and due to an evaluation period is unable to commit to weekend games. ... Davis was a valuable contributor in Rochesters late-season run to the title and the Rush got him for a player, Paul Rabil, who had refused to suit up for them. ... Knight was Canadian junior player of the year in 2012. ... Knight, Matthews and returnee John LaFontaine were teammates on Whitby, Ont., junior teams Keenan coaches in the summer. 5. WASHINGTON, 4-12, missed playoffs. Last title: 2010 Season opener: Jan. 5 at home vs. Rochester GM: Doug Locker Head coach: Chris Hall Returning players: G Tyler Richards, D Kyle Sorensen, D Jeff Moleski, D Curtis Hodgson, D Matt Beers, D Mike Grimes, D Chris ODougherty, D Chris McElroy, T Bob Snider, F Rhys Duch, F Lewis Ratcliff, F Athan Iannucci, F Brett Bucktooth, F Dean Hill, F Cliff Smith. In: G Nick Patterson, D Tyler Garrison, D Justin Pychel, D Tim Henderson, D Pat OMeara, D Dave Joyce, T Mitch McMichael, F Kyle Buchanan. Out: G Kevin Croswell, D Kyle Hartzell, D Eric Martin, D Kyle Ross, T Jason Bloom, T Chet Koneczny, F Cam Sedgwick, F Jeff Zywicki. Quote: "Im very excited about this team," says Hall. "Our general lacrosse intelligence has improved a ton since last season. Were awfully happy with these kids. Were more energized. Were bigger, faster and stronger." Notes: Zywicki once scored 48 goals in a season but competition for jobs was so intense he couldnt hang onto one after being plagued by injuries in 2012. ... Sorensen takes over as captain from Bloom, who joins the coaching staff. ... F Brett Hickey, F Mike Mallory and T Justin Salt were placed on the practice roster. ... On injured reserve are rookies Billy Hostrawser and Drew Snider. ' ' ' 

Marco Di Vaio scored as the Montreal Impact defeated Italian Serie-A club ACF Fiorentina 1-0 in a friendly Thursday. It was the final action of the season for the Impact, who played a pair of friendlies in Italy after the end of the Major League Soccer regular season. They lost 1-0 to Di Vaios former club Bologna last week. Di Vaio took a pass from midfielder Andrea Pisanu on an indirect free kick and curled it into the top corner from 10 yards in the 25th minute. Pisanu, a Bologna player who was on loan to Prato of the second division last season, is on a try-out with Montreal. "Great win for the team and what an experience it was to play against Fiorentina," midfielder Calum Mallace wrote on Twitter. "Will never forget that one." Fiorentina stars Luca Toni, Alberto Aquilani, Pizarro, Manuel Pasqual and Borja Valero saw playing time, mainly as substitutes. Interim coach Mauro Biello, filling in for the fired Jesse Marsch, singled out the defence and goalkeeper Evan Bush for praise as Montreal overcame some early troubles dealing with the skill and team play of the Italian side and held on in the second half for the win. "It was great to get a chance to play a first division team, with the quality of players they had," Biello said on a conference call from Florence, Italy. "Our players reacted well. "We tried to play a compact game and play the ball up the wings and use our speed." Bush dove to his right to stop a long distance drive by Fiorentina midfielder Alberto Aquilani in the 11th minute and pushed away a shot off a give-and go from Adem Ljajic. Two minutes later, he made another save when Cristian Llama fired from near the left corner of the box that dipped suddenly. Among other trialists, Oussama Essabr, played the first 45 minutes and Nicolas Cordova came on in the second half. Biello said it would be up to management whether any of them play for Montreal next season. He said he was grateful for the chance to show what he could do as a coach during the two-week trip to Italy, he said the club is still searching for its next head coach. Midfielder Patrice Bernier acted as captain. The Impact will now split up for the off-season and regroup Jan. 19 in Montreal for physicals before the start of training camp two days later. "Great win against Fiorentina, and now its vacation time!" defender Hassoun Camara tweeted. Authentic Griffin III Jersey . The 25-year-old Kruger made four birdies and overcame a bogey on the 17th to finish with a 14-under total of 274. Jorge Campillo of Spain and Marcel Siem of Germany were two shots back in a tie for second. RG3 Jersey . Vilmas latest legal manoeuvr Thursday came shortly after Goodell filed a motion to dismiss Vilmas defamation claims in connection with the leagues bounty investigation. Vilma has said his suspension is without merit and Goodell has made false public comments that have damaged Vilmas reputation and hurt his ability to make a living. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/new.html . He took a big step in that direction Sunday night. Durant notched his first career triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 119-109.FRESNO, Calif. -- David Lee scored 19 points and Klay Thompson added 18 to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers 110-83 on Sunday night in both teams exhibition opener. Lee scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in the third quarter when the Warriors outscored the Lakers 37-10, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into an 86-66 lead. Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace and Jordan Hill scored 10 points apiece for the Lakers, who were without centre Dwight Howard (back).dddddddddddd Steve Nash had five points and three assists in his Lakers debut. None of the Lakers projected starters played in the second half. Rookie Harrison Barnes and Carl Landry added 13 points apiece for Golden State. The Warriors were without starters Andrew Bogut (foot) and Stephen Curry (ankle), though both dressed. ' ' ' 

Hockey Canada has begun the process of cutting down its World Junior selection camp roster as five players, including forwards Sean Monahan, Francis Beauvillier and Tyler Graovac as well as defencemen Adam Pelech and Derrick Pouliot were released from the squad on Wednesday in the first round of cuts.  Thirty-one players remain in camp, including four goaltenders, 10 defencemen and 17 forwards. "Youre just sitting there waiting, hoping you dont get that phone call. Its pretty touch, nerve-wracking,” said Pouliot, the Pittsburgh Penguins eighth overall pick from this past summers NHL Draft. "Theres a lot of good D-men at this camp and the coaches had to make the decisions and unfortunately I was one of the guys who got let go." For Beauvillier and Graovac, their World Junior deam ends without a chance to represent their country, as both were born in 1993 and will be ineligible for the 2014 tournament. Pouliot still has one year of eligibility as does Monahan, who was one of four players in camp who will be eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time in 2013. Beauvilier and Pelech were selcted by the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders respectively in the 2012 NHL Draft, while Minnesota selected Graovac in the seventh round in 2011.  Canada will take a 23-man squad to Ufa, Russia to compete in the 2013 tournament. Earlier in the day, the Canadian Junior team lost to The University of Alberta 4-1 at Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary in their first pre-tournament competitive game. A dozen players among the 36 invited to camp sat out the game, including Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Canadas National Junior Team will be finalized on Thursday and will depart for Europe on Saturday to play two pre-competition games in Helsinki prior to the 2013 World Junior Championship. Canada will play its first tournament game on Boxing Day against Germany at 4am et/1am pt, a game that will be broadcast live on TSN. Canada has medalled at 14 consecutive World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011 and bronze medals in 2000, 2001 and 2012. Cheap Jerseys . When he saw the saw ball disappear over the fence as he rounded first base, out came a celebratory fist pump, and a day marked by frustration at the plate and in the field turned noticeably bright. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . Diving Canadas chief technical officer says the team would be content with two medals but would love to leave London with three. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . The chatter means little to the 24-year-old Leafs goaltender. Refreshed and finally healthy, an upbeat Reimer is intent on reclaiming the starting job in Toronto, anxious to erase the memories of an injury-stained second season.Each week, TSN.cas NFL Editor Justin Boone and Fantasy Editor Scott Cullen will compare fantasy football rankings and provide justification for some of the more notable differences in their opinions. Carson Palmer (at Ravens)  vs. Eli Manning (at Bengals) Cullen (Palmer #10, E.Manning #13) - On its face, it seems preposterous to rank Carson Palmer ahead of Eli Manning, but Palmer has been a productive fantasy quarterback, ranking seventh in passing yards per game (294.4) and his 1.51 passing touchdowns per game ranks 10th. In years past, facing the Baltimore Ravens would limit a quarterbacks appeal, but the Ravens defence has struggled this season, ranking 22nd in passing yards allowed per game and, with the Ravens missing top cover corner Lardarius Webb and the Raiders down to their third and fourth-string running backs, it seems reasonable to expect Palmer to push for a 300-yard passing game. Manning has hit a bit of a rough patch, being held under 200 yards passing in three of the last four games, and throwing a total of two touchdowns in those four contests. Hakeem Nicks is perpetually banged up, leaving Victor Cruz to carry a heavy load in the passing game, but that also allows the opposition (Cincinnati, this week) to send double coverage at Cruz because the Giants dont have other weapons to make teams pay, or if they do have them, they arent being used efficiently. Boone (E.Manning #9, Palmer #15) - Manning may be in a bit of a slump, but this is nothing new from the younger Manning brother. He has been known to struggle through a stretch every season, before eventually righting the ship. The Bengals secondary is an older group that lacks elite speed and will be on their heels all day trying to keep up with Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks (he will be playing), as well as Domenik Hixon and Martellus Bennett. Cincinnati has given up the 13th most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season and I expect Manning to come back strong after a 125 yards and no touchdowns last week. I can agree that Palmer is a better play this week than one would have thought earlier in the year thanks to the Ravens injuries. However, lets not forget he is still Carson Palmer. That fact alone should keep him out of your top 10 any given week. Palmers 414-yard, four-touchdown performance was impressive last Sunday, until you remember that it came against the Buccaneers. Oakland had to keep up with Doug Martin, who was running wild on them all afternoon and to do so they took to the air against a weak secondary. Baltimore may be depleted, but they are still going to put up more of a fight than the Bucs did a week ago. C.J. Spiller (at Patriots) vs. Chris Johnson (at Dolphins) Cullen (Spiller #11, Johnson #16) - Even in a timeshare backfield, C.J. Spiller has gained over 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the last three weeks and he may be the Bills best chance to stay competitive with the New England Patriots. The Patriots are strong against the run, but Spillers appeal rests in his ability to contribute with receiving yards as well, ranking seventh among running backs in receiving yards per game (29.5). Chris Johnson has rebounded after a slow start, running for 526 yards in the last four weeks, but the Miami defence is a force against the run, holding opponents to 3.6 yards per carry and 83.9 yards per game. If the Titans are going to move the ball, passing figuures to be their best bet, so Johnson may not go off for quite as much production as he has had in recent weeks.dddddddddddd Boone (Johnson #13, Spiller #17) - With 526 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his last four games, Johnson has begun to reward those who drafted him in the first round. Johnson isnt the same back he was during his 2,000 -yard campaign, but he has been able to break a few longer runs and has grinded out tough yards against the Steelers and Bears in recent weeks. The Dolphins have a solid run defence of their own, but Johnson is a one-man show running the ball in Tennessee and he will be centre stage on Sunday. Spiller is clearly the more explosive ball carrier in the Bills backfield, but Fred Jackson is a talented veteran that isnt going to be pushed to the sidelines easily. That means the timeshare will continue and Spiller will be dependent on big plays. In their first meeting with the Patriots, Spiller managed just 38 yards on 10 touches and had a costly fumble in the red zone. While he may be healthier this time around, I dont see Spiller taking advantage of New England like he did the Jets and Chiefs early in the year. Eric Decker (at Panthers) vs. Calvin Johnson (at Vikings) Cullen (Decker #8, Johnson #14) - Is it time for Calvin Johnson to get in the end zone? He ranks third among wide receivers with 95.9 yards per game, yet has scored only one touchdown, getting tackled inside the two yard line five times already this season. Maybe this week at Minnesota is the week for him to break through, but with his wonky knee and the lack of touchdowns thus far, Im skeptical. Decker is at the other end of the spectrum, averaging a respectable 72.9 receiving yards per game, but tied for third among wideouts with seven touchdowns, one behind A.J. Green and James Jones, scoring all of those touchdowns in the last five weeks. This is, essentially, a vote for Peyton Manning against the Panthers this week, figuring that Manning has a decent shot to extend his streak of five straight games with at least three touchdown passes and, if he does that, it stands to reason that Decker, who is a big red zone target at 6-foot-3, will be one of the beneficiaries. Boone (Johnson #8, Decker #11) - Calvin Johnson must be feeling the effects of a big hit early this season, because he cant seem to figure out if he had a concussion or not. First he claimed he did, then he came out and said he misused the word concussion. Even after getting the stinger, he has still been effective. He was well on his way to a monster game last week, before the Lions turned to the ground game to finish off the Jaguars. Minnesota is without 62, 212-pound cornerback Chris Cook, who has played well against Megatron in the past. The Vikings have been giving up easy yards through the air in the last few games and Johnson will be a catalyst for Detroits passing game on Sunday. Decker is also a good option this week, landing just outside of my top 10. However, when hes up against the best receiver in the game, its no contest. Decker has developed into Mannings favourite target with seven touchdowns in his last five games. He may even reach the end zone against the Panthers, but my belief is that Carolina is so generous with their run defence that Manning wont need to take to the air like he has against the Chargers, Saints and Bengals. Dont be scared to play Decker, just dont sit Johnson to do so. ' ' ' 

Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Andy Roddick announced last week he would end his tennis career at the 2012 U.S. Open, and Juan Martin del Potro sent the American packing in a fourth-round affair Wednesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Also on Wednesday, sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych ousted top-seeded Roger Federer, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. The seventh-seeded del Potro came from behind to beat the 20th-seeded Roddick 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in a match that was suspended because of rain on Tuesday night. Roddick snuck out a first-set tiebreak against del Potro, but the towering Argentine rebounded by taking a second-set tiebreak, which appeared to take a lot of energy out of the outgoing American slugger. It was all del Potro in the third set and that momentum carried over into the fourth, as the Argentine ultimately cruised to victory at the worlds largest tennis stadium. The match was over in 3 hours, 15 minutes, as the big-serving Roddick swatted 20 aces in his final outing, but had his serve broken four times, compared to only one break by the American. The 23-year-old del Potro improved to 4-1 lifetime against Roddick. The former world No. 1 Roddick captured his lone Grand Slam title at the 2003 U.S. Open and was the 2006 runner-up to Roger Federer in New York. Roddick also succumbed to Federer in three Wimbledon finals, including their epic five-set battle at the All England Club in 2009, when the Swiss finally prevailed in a 30-game fifth set. The Nebraska native/Texas resident Roddick announced his impending retirement on the day of his 30th birthday last week. Roddick, who failed to reach a major quarterfinal this year, ends his career with 32 titles in 52 finals and is the second-winningest American in Davis Cup singles history, behind only the legendary John McEnroe. Prior to Wednesday, Roddick was second only to Federer among active players in career match wins, with 612. The crowd favorite Roddick went 43-12 in Flushing. "For the first time in my career Im not sure what to say," a tearful Roddick said on the court after falling to del Potro. "Ive loved every minute of it." "Its been a road with a lot of ups and a lot of downs," Roddick added. "I love you guys with all my heart." Roddick went on to thank his family, including his mom and dad, and his support team. The 6-foot-6 Del Potro stunned Federer in the final in Flushing three years ago, halting a 40-match U.S. Open win streak by the Swiss great. The 2009 U.S. Open champion del Potro is rewarded with a quarterfinal bout against reigning champion and two-time U.S. Open runner-up Novak Djokovic, who was an easy winner on Day 10 of the Big Apple fortnight. The second-seeded recent world No. 1 star Djokovic won his 11th straight match in Flushing with a 6-4, 6-1, 3-1 spanking of 18th-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who appeared ill and decided to retire in the third set. The match was suspended by rain Tuesday night, with the formidable Serb leading 2-0 in the first set. Rain also disrupted play on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Djokovic got past Wawrinka in 1 hour, 33 minutes. The five-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic captured his first U.S. Open title last year by handling former winner Rafael Nadal in a 1-versus-2 finale at the National Tennis Center. The Serb also stopped the Spaniard in this years epic Australian Open finale, while Nadal beat Djokovic in the French Open final in June. Third-seeded Andy Murray ousted Marin Cilic, the No. 12 seed, by a 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-0 margin. After dropping the first set, the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up fell behind 2-5 in the second stanza, but rallied back to capture the final five points of the set after taking the tie breaker 7-4. Murray, who was the runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2008, fired off 11 aces over the match, which lasted nearly three hours. The 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist will face Berdych in the semifinals on Friday. Berdych won 11 break points to take down the five-time U.S. Open titlist for the second consecutive matchup in a Grand Slam event. Berdych defeated Federer at Wimbledon in 2010 en route to his only Grand Slam final appearance to date. Federer, the world No. 1, was denied his 33rd career Grand Slam semifinals appearance in the loss, but still leads the head-to-head record 11-5. Also on Day 10 in New York, Djokovics eighth-seeded fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic dismissed 19th-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 to reach the U.S. Open round of eight for a second straight year. Tipsarevic-Kohlschreiber was also suspended because of rain on Tuesday, with the Serb leading 5-2 in the opening set. Tipsarevic is rewarded with a quarterfinal match against fourth-seeded fellow grinder David Ferrer of Spain. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Then he joined the Miami Heat, and things only got worse. Miami has lost seven of eight on the parquet floor since James arrived to form a superteam modeled after the new Big Three that hung the Celtics unprecedented 17th NBA championship banner. Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . Over the next few days the 31-year-old FC Dallas player has a chance to move a step closer to being there in person. De Guzman and his 61st-ranked Canadian teammates host No. http://jasonhavens.org/cheap.html . The Italian rolled in 10 birdies in his first 15 holes in calm morning conditions on the Castle Stuart links course, but missed out on a chance to shoot the first ever 59 on the European Tour by finishing with three straight pars.CHICAGO -- Major Wright saw Sam Bradford zeroing in on Danny Amendola and knew where the ball was headed. It ultimately wound up in the end zone, and that was just fine with the Chicago Bears. They got back to winning thanks to their defence, with Wright coming up with the biggest play. He returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, and Chicago beat the St. Louis Rams 23-6 on Sunday. The defence came to the rescue against the Rams (1-2), holding them to 160 yards and sacking Bradford six times. That was enough on a day when Jay Cutler struggled, and the Bears (2-1) bounced back after an ugly loss to Green Bay the previous week. The Bears had just kicked a field goal to extend their lead to 13-6 in the fourth quarter before Wright made his key play. Bradford had been hit hard by Israel Idonije and Stephen Paea on the previous play when Tim Jennings deflected a slant intended for Amendola. Wright caught the ball at the 45 and ran untouched to the end zone, making it a 14-point game and finally giving the Bears some breathing room. "Sam Bradford was looking his way the whole time," Wright said. "As we were watching film, he is not the type of quarterback that is going to look one way and go back the other way. He was honing in on that side and I was like, You know what, let me take a shot over here, and I ended up taking a shot over there. ... (Jennings) tipped it up and me being in the right spot at the right time (I) took it in." It wasnt exactly the sort of showing the Bears were looking for after that brutal 23-10 loss to the Packers, but they got by because the defence did its part. For the offence, well, thats two bad outings in a row. "Some games, we are going to need to score 41," coach Lovie Smith said. "Other games, were not going to need to. Were going to have to play good, sound football and make the plays when its required, and it was that type of day." One positive note for the offence was Cutler appearing to keep his composure in this game. Considering he got sacked seven times, threw four interceptions and berated and bumped left tackle JMarcus Webb on the sideline, that was an improvement. Otherwise, there werent many positives for him. "Not every game is going to be 41-21," Cutler said, referring to the season-opening win over Indianapolis. "Were not going to come out every game and blow the doors off offensively and defensively. This is what is going to be more likely week in and week out." Cutler completed 17 of 31 passes for 183 yards. He was sacked twice and threw an interception to Cortland Finnegan, who also delivered a shot after the game. Asked what he saw from the Bears quarterback, he saiid, "Not much.dddddddddddd. Not much. I think he had 190 yards passing, something like that. And no touchdowns. Typical him." Brandon Marshall had trouble hanging onto the ball at times and wound up with five receptions for 71 yards after catching just two passes the previous week. Michael Bush ran for 55 yards and a touchdown with Matt Forte sidelined by a sprained right ankle. "Its not how we wanted to perform, but got a W," Bush said. Credit for that goes to the defence. Israel Idonije had 2 1/2 sacks, and the Bears simply made it a miserable Bradford, who was 18 of 35 for 152 yards with two interceptions. Steven Jackson managed just 29 yards rushing after missing most of the previous game with a groin injury and sitting out practice during the week, and Amendola had five catches for 55 yards after tying a club record with 15 catches for 160 yards. "We definitely didnt play well today," Bradford said. "Give them credit, they played us tough. But I think there are a lot of things when we look at the film that are going to fall on us. Things that we were in control of and just didnt handle. It was a tough game, a lot for us to learn from and move on as a group." Protection might be at the top of the list. Then again, the Bears had something to do with it, too. For all the questions surrounding their defensive line, the results so far are good. They came in tied for second in the league with eight sacks and added to their total with another balanced effort. Its not just Julius Peppers being disruptive; hes getting help, too. "Were fighting for the sacks," said Paea, who had one. "Its not just one person on the quarterback. Its two or three." The effort on defence was enough to overcome a subpar performance by the offence. When the Bears had chances, they simply didnt take advantage. With Chicago leading by four early in the final quarter, a 21-yard scramble by Cutler put the ball on the 6. But the Bears settled for a field goal to make it 13-6 after he overthrew an open Devin Hester in the end zone, the ball going through the receivers hands as he tried to make a leaping catch. That drew more groans from an already weary crowd, but the Bears came out on top. "Most games are like this," Cutler said. "Most games are slug-outs. Its a four-quarter game." Notes: Jackson said afterward that he wasnt risking further injury by playing and that he "came out of this clean." He added: "I just wish I could have been more productive and help my team win." ... Finnegan has an interception in each of the three games. ... Bears FB Evan Rodriguez left with a knee injury early in the game. ' ' ' 

BALTIMORE -- Because theres still some life in the 37-year-old arm of Charlie Batch, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain alive in the AFC North. Batch directed a 61-yard drive in the closing minutes and Shaun Suisham of Wallaceburg, Ont., kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give the Steelers a 23-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Playing without injured Ben Roethlisberger for a third straight week, the Steelers turned to Batch for the second game in a row. The 15-year veteran went 25 for 36 for 276 yards, threw a touchdown and rallied the Steelers in a must-win game against their hated division rivals. "This is big. It was another opportunity for me to come out here and start, which is rare right now," said Batch, who was elevated to the top of the depth chart after backup Byron Leftwich was injured against Baltimore two weeks ago "To be able to go on the road and do something that nobody outside of our locker room thought that we could do is big," Batch said. . Especially after Batch and the Steelers committed eight turnovers last week in a loss to Cleveland. "I knew going into it that I had to play better," Batch said. "I had to go out there and lead this offence the way that I know I can. I felt the receivers did a great job of getting open, the offensive line did a great job of protecting. I was really able to set my feet and just play ball and have fun." The result? "Big necessary win for us tonight in a hostile environment. We dont take that lightly," coach Mike Tomlin said. Pittsburgh (7-5) snapped a two-game losing streak and kept alive its slim hopes of overtaking Baltimore (9-3) in the AFC North. The teams have split their games this season, with each winning by three points. Seven of the last eight regular-season games between the teams have been decided by that same margin. "That was a typical Pittsburgh-Baltimore game," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Its amazing how it works out that way. Pittsburgh trailed 13-3 in the first half and 20-13 in the fourth quarter before coming back. Batch missed a wide open Mike Wallace in the end zone near the end of the first half, but the cagey quarterback more than made up for it after halftime. The Ravens could have clinched a playoff berth with a victory. Instead, Baltimore had its 15-game home winning streak snapped and also lost for the first time in 13 games against division foes. Baltimores last defeat at home was against Pittsburgh in December 2010. "This game didnt determine the AFC North. We still can go ahead and win the division," said running back Ray Rice, who ran for 78 yards in only 12 carries. "Well go ahead and try to get over this loss." Batch outplayed Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, who went 16 for 34 for 188 yards and fueled Pittsburghs comeback by losing a fumble in the fourth quarter. "I think we missed a couple of opportunities early to really take a hold of this game even more," Flacco said. "I thought we could have put up 30 or 40 points today and we didnt. I think thats a reflection that we hurt ourselves." The Steelers gave the ball away three times. The Ravens converted two of the takeaways into touchdowns, and the third -- a leaping interception by Ed Reed in the end zone -- kept a 20-13 lead intact with 10:59 left. Pittsburgh got the ball back, however, when James Harrison forced a fumble by Flacco at the 27. "Guy came around hit my wrist and hit the ball and just got it out," Flacco said. "I wish I could have held on but wasnt able to." Batch threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller to tie it with 7:24 to go. The next time Pittsburgh got the ball back, Batch showed his poise with a beat-the-clock march. The key play in the final drive was a 15-yard completion to Wallace on a third-and-7. After generating only 93 yards in offence in the first half, the Steelers opened the third quarter with a 78-yard touchdown drive to pull even at 13. Batch threw a 43-yard pass to Miller before Jonathan Dwyer scored on a 16-yard run. Later in the quarter, Batch connected with Emmanuel Sanders near midfield with no defender in sight. But Sanders inexplicably lost his grip on the football after taking two steps, and the Ravens recovered on the Baltimore 37. The Ravens turned the miscue into a 20-13 lead. Flacco completed a 19-yard pass to Dennis Pitta before Rice took a handoff, veered right, then broke left and outside for a 34-yard score. The bickering between these two familiar foes began with the opening kickoff, when several players had to be separated after Baltimores Jacoby Jones downed the ball for a touchback. With the Ravens up 6-3, Flacco threw an up-for-grabs floater that was intercepted by Ryan Clark near midfield. Pittsburgh gave it right back, though, when wide receiver Antonio Brown took a handoff and ran left before throwing a pass across the field that was picked off by Corey Graham. Baltimore didnt waste the gift. Flacco connected twice with Anquan Boldin during a four-play, 69-yard drive, including a 31-yard touchdown throw just beyond Allens reach to make it 13-3. NOTES: Pittsburgh CB Ike Taylor hurt his right ankle in the first quarter and did not return. ... Tomlin said FB Will Johnson "probably has a concussion." ... Brown has thrown two passes this season. The other one was incomplete. ... The crowd of 71,442 was the second-largest in Ravens history. ... Rices 32nd rushing touchdown broke a second-place tie with Willis McGahee on the teams career list. Cheap NFL Jerseys Paypal . The co-hosts will be without goalkeeper Oleksandr Bandura, defender Vitaliy Mandziuk and midfielder Taras Stepanenko, Blokhin announced on Tuesday. Neither of the three players played during a 4-0 thumping of Estonia in the teams first Euro 2012 warm-up game on Monday. Cheap Jerseys From China . When an ankle injury kept him out of Portugals first two European Championship qualifying games, the team drew at home against Cyprus and lost to Norway. http://www.bwjerseys.com/ .A. Dickeys best season yet ended with a no-decision and some surprising news: Hell have surgery Oct.MILWAUKEE -- Randy Wolf doesnt really know what has been wrong with him this season, and understands why the Milwaukee Brewers released him on Wednesday. And while the move wasnt an easy one to take, the veteran left-hander went out of his way to say that he doesnt harbour any bitterness toward the Brewers -- even though he got the bad news on his 36th birthday. "Its a really tough pill to swallow," Wolf said. "Luckily, Ive always been humble in this game, and realized what this game is like." Wolf was 3-10 with a 5.69 ERA in 24 starts for Milwaukee this year and had lost his last four decisions. The Brewers owe him about $3.7 million in remaining salary and a buyout. Wolf said things have been "brutal" this year but he doesnt know why. His velocity isnt down from what it usually is, although he has struggled with his command. "I just need to get better somehow, figure it out," Wolf said. "Obviously, Im leaving too many balls over the middle of the plate. And if I do a better job of not doing that, I think Ill be OK." Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ron Roenicke both said Wolf has something left to offer other teams. "I think he needs a new atmosphere to be in," Roenicke said. "Randy still is not done pitching. I think next year hes going to have a good year for somebody. But I think when you get to a point where things happen so negatively every time you go out and pitch, you cant just wipe it out." Melvin said he expects Wolf to catch on with another team this season. "Id be surprised if somebody didnt give him a chance," Melvin said. Milwaukee recalled infielder Jeff Bianchi from Triple-A Nashville. Wolfs release will make room in the rotation for starter Shaun Marcum, who is on a rehabilitation assignment and is scheduled to start Saturdays game at Pittsburgh. Marcum has been on the disabled list since June 23 with a right elbow iinjury.dddddddddddd The move also will allow the Brewers to take a look at some of their young pitchers -- a reality that likely would have forced Wolf to move to the bullpen if he stayed with the Brewers. "We have these young guys that we need to see, and unfortunately were in a position where we need to starting thinking about next year," Roenicke said. Still, the Brewers are likely to miss Wolfs veteran presence. "I really like Randy," Roenicke said. "I like him as a player, and I like him as a person. He prepares himself as well as anybody Ive ever been around. Hes a great teammate. He helps out the young guys. Things didnt go well for him this year, and he feels (as) bad about it as anybody -- worse about it than anybody. And he worked as hard as you could possibly work to get things turned around." Ryan Braun said Wolf will be missed, especially in the clubhouse. "With Randy, he always worked as hard as he could, he always put everything he had into this game," Braun said. "He was a great teammate, a lot of fun to be around every day. He did some great things for this organization, too." Wolf thanked the Brewers on the way out, saying he didnt harbour any bitterness about the way his time with the team came to an end. "The way that the organization has treated me through this has been outstanding," Wolf said. "They just wanted to give me a heads-up. I think how much respect they showed through this process has been amazing. I just want to thank them for everything. Its certainly unfortunate that this year was the way it was, and theres nobody more disappointed about that than I am." Milwaukee is responsible for the $2,232,240 remaining of Wolfs $9.5 million salary this year and also for a $1.5 million buyout of a $10 million club option. If Wolf signs a major league contract with another team, a prorated share of the $480,000 minimum would be offset. ' ' ' 

areas, New York could go with Lucas Duda at fTIKKURILA, Finland -- The Canadian womens hockey team will enter the championship game at the Four Nations Cup on a high after closing out an undefeated round robin with a 9-0 rout of Sweden on Friday at Valtti Areena. Natalie Spooner and Jennifer Wakefield scored two goals apiece and Shannon Szabados made 27 saves to help Canada post its third straight victory. "Its always nice when you score a bunch of goals," said head coach Dan Church. "It gives the forwards some confidence. I think on the back end, it was a good performance by our (defence) and goalie to get the shutout. "Overall, a great way to head into tomorrow." Canada will play the United States in the title match while Sweden and Finland play for bronze. Gillian Apps, Catherine Ward, Jayna Hefford, Tessa Bonhomme and Vicki Bendus also scored as Canada fired 64 shots on the Swedish net. Canada has outscored the opposition 18-1 over the three games. The Canadian roster includes almost all the players from the team that won gold at the 2012 world championship last spring. Canada beat the Americans 5-4 in overtime in the championship game. Church likes that his team is playing with confidence. "I think the players have really battled hard," he said. "Just the consistency in their approach to the little details in the game I think has made a big difference for us. "Things like our physical play, backchecking and just the commitment by everybody to play for their role in whatever role theyre given for that game. I think theyve all done a great job of that." Canada last won the Four Nations Cup in 2010, defeating the Americans 3-2 in overtime. The United States beat Canada 4-3 in a shootout in last years final in Sweden. "I think the players are ready. Theyre ready for the challenge of regaining the gold medal at this tournament," Church said. Canada has won this event 12 times over its 16-year history. The tournament also serves as an evaluation opportunity for team brass ahead of the 2013 world championship in Ottawa this April. Cheap Jerseys From China . In an attempt to hype their next fight, IBF World Champion Paulie Malignaggi was also featured on the Hatton card, as the two are scheduled to meet later this year. Like Hatton, Malignaggi is, in my opinion,  on the comeback trail as well. Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . The Tide still have a chance to win another title, but they need a lot of help to even get back to the championship game. Nick Sabans squad wont lose to Western Carolina and Auburn, and a victory over Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game will bring the Tide to 12-1, the same exact record they had after defeating LSU back in January. http://studyworx.org/china.html . -- Coach Dennis Allen has a lot more to deal with than just a loss in his debut as Oakland Raiders coach. WASHINGTON -- One night after an emotional homecoming for their coach, the Golden State Warriors used all their physical reserve to pull out a third straight win on the road. David Lee had 24 points and 17 rebounds, Klay Thompson added 23 points and the Warriors beat the Washington Wizards 101-97 on Saturday night. Golden State has won the first three games of a road trip for the first time since February, 2003. "Physically playing in this league is draining. Fatigue sets in and the good teams have a way of telling their bodies: hold off until later. Weve got to find a way to get a win," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. Golden State led for nearly all the game, but the pesky Wizards kept challenging. Stephen Curry scored 22 points for Golden State, which has four more games on its longest road trip of the season. The Warriors are 13-7 overall, the first time theyve been six games over .500 since the end of the 2007-08 season. That doesnt matter to Jackson, in his second season with Golden State. He claimed not to take any special joy in winning in Brooklyn just a few blocks from where he played high school ball. Jackson is trying to change the culture of a team thats won more than it lost just twice in the last 18 seasons. "I understand the fans and the organization and the history of this team, but thats not my history, so this team -- our history is last year and this year," Jackson said. Washington (2-15) was led by Jordan Crawford, who had 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, tying a season high for points and assists. Bradley Beal scored 17 points, Kevin Seraphin and Cartier Martin both had 14. All of Martins points came in the second quarter. Martin did not attempt a shot in the second half. The Wizards lost their first 12 this season, then won two of three, including an improbable victory over Miami on Tuesday before a flat performance at Atlanta on Friday. Washington sustained another injury to a point guard. Playing all this season without John Wall because of a left knee injury, backup A.J. Price fractured his right hand four minutes into the game and will be lost four to six weeks. "I knew I hurt myself right away, but I was going to try and pplay through it, came down I think the next possession and tried to throw the crosscourt pass and really couldnt get anything behind it," Price said.dddddddddddd "I figured if I cant pass, then Im just going to hurt my team." The Wizards have none of the four point guards they began training camp with. Wall, who was originally supposed to be back in late November, has yet to practice. Two others, Jannero Pargo and Shelvin Mack, were cut. Unless Washington makes a roster move, Crawford and Shaun Livingston are the only point guards around. The biggest concern for the Wizards was rebounding. Golden State had a huge 57-37 advantage. "I think really the big difference obviously tonight being we got just hammered on the boards," coach Randy Wittman said. The Wizards pulled into an 84-all tie when Chris Singleton hit one of two free throws with 4 minutes to play, but Golden State outscored Washington 9-1 on five points by Thompson, a jumper by Jarrett Jack and a layup by Lee to take a 93-85 lead with 2:19 to play. Beal hit a 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left to allow Washington to pull within 97-96. Curry hit two free throws, and Beal was fouled with 4.2 seconds to play. He hit the first, deliberately missed the second, Nene tipped the ball to Beal, whose shot missed badly. Carl Landry hit two free throws with 2 seconds left to seal it. "We have one agenda -- to win and make a deep run in the playoffs," Thompson said. "Last year we talked about playing defence. This year, were actually out there doing it." The Warriors, winners of 10 of their last 12, are now 6-1 against the East. NOTES: Wizards F Trevor Ariza missed his second straight game with a strained left calf. F Trevor Booker his seventh straight with a right knee injury. When asked before the game if there was an update on Trevor, Wittman joked: Which one?" ... Golden State F Richard Jefferson, who missed his 10th straight game with a strained right calf, says hes nearing a return. ... Warriors rookie F Draymond Green fouled out with 16.1 seconds to play. It was Golden States second disqualification of the season. ... Thompson tied his career high with five 3-pointers.. ' ' ' irst bas

OTTAWA (CIS) – The reigning Vanier Cup champion McMaster Marauders top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the sixth time in as many polls this season. The Marauders (5-0) once again received 29 first-place votes and 299 points from the 30-member FRC panel, with the remaining first-place nod going to the Calgary Dinos (5-0), who earned 270 points to remain comfortably in second place for the fourth consecutive week. The rest of the leading quintet also remains intact in the new Top 10 as the No. 3 Montreal Carabins (5-0) and No. 4 Laval Rouge et Or (5-0) also kept their undefeated record over the past weekend, while the No. 5 Queens Gaels (4-1) were victorious for the fourth time in five outings, their only loss coming two weeks ago against top-ranked McMaster. Rounding out the new media poll are the Regina Rams (4-1), up one position to a season-high No. 6; the Western Mustangs (3-2), down one spot to a season-low No. 7; the Manitoba Bisons (3-2), staying put at No. 8; as well as the No. 9 Guelph Gryphons (4-1) and No. 10 Acadia Axemen (3-1), both unranked last Tuesday. The Marauders kept their one-game lead atop the OUA standings thanks to a second straight win over a Top-10 opponent. After defeating Queens 33-20 two weeks ago, the national champs travelled to London on Saturday and edged Western 33-27 in front of a boisterous homecoming crowd of 10,900 at TD Waterhouse Stadium. McMaster visits York (1-4) on Thursday afternoon and will be seeking its 16th consecutive overall victory dating back to the third week of the 2011 schedule, three shy of the all-time CIS mark set by Laval from 2004 to 2005. In Calgary, the Dinos crushed archrival Saskatchewan 45-4 at home to preserve a one-game cushion in the Canada West standings going into the conferences bye week. The reigning four-time CWUAA champions have outscored their rivals 242 to 50 so far this fall for a CIS-best point differential of +192. In Quebec, Montreal rolled over Concordia 38-0 and Laval dominated then-No. 9 Sherbrooke 48-10 on the road, setting the table for a much-anticipated home-and-away series between the Carabins and Rouge et Or that will go a long way in deciding who will finish first in the RSEQ. The first end of the two-game set goes Sunday in Quebec City (1:30 p.m. ET, Radio-Canada), with the rematch scheduled the following Saturday (Oct. 13) in Montreal. The Rouge et Or go into the first head-to-head contest riding a CIS-record streak of 53 wins in a row on home turf but will face the last team to beat them at TELUS Stadium, a 14-13 setback that dates way back to Sept. 19, 2004.  Other results by Top-10 teams this past week were Queens 32, Ottawa 25 (at Queens); Regina 30, Manitoba 27 (at Regina); Guelph 22, Laurier 19 (at Laurier); Acadia 30, Mount Allison 6 (at Acadia). In addition to Sundays Montreal-Laval showdown, another Top-10 battle highlights the Week 6 schedule as Western visits Guelph on Saturday afternoon. Cheap Jerseys From China . Nicknamed "Miku," Fedor struck in the 63rd and 71st minutes as Getafe scored five goals in a game for the first time this season. Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo scored from a spectacular overhead kick to give the visitors a 19th-minute lead, but Miguel Torres equalized in the 35th. Cheap NFL Jerseys . The Wings also picked up transition players Jordan Hall, Joel White, Rob Campbell and a second-round pick in the 2014 draft in the deal. "This trade allows us the opportunity to get the most recognizable player in the sport to join our team," Wings president Michael French said Friday in a release. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . The University of Southern Utah senior from Black Creek, B.C., ran 28 minutes 07.14 for the victory. Stephen Sambu of Arizona was second in 28.09.52, while Chris Derrick of Stanford won the bronze in 28.One of the great things about following the lines for each weeks NFL games is that you get to see, in numerical fashion, just where there are doubts about whether a team "deserves" their current record. Scott Cullen digs into the Week 5 slate of games in the NFL. Bill Parcells was famously quoted as saying. "You are what your record says you are," and that may be true to some extent, but those of us who look deeper into statistics see underlying issues that might affect that record and the likelihood of it continuing, for better or worse. Looking at this weeks games, the 1-3 Miami Dolphins seem to have generated faith with competitive performances, including last weeks overtime loss to undefeated Arizona, a team not quite getting full support behind their 4-0 start. Perhaps the team that has the most doubts concerning their current record is the New Orleans Saints, who are 0-4, yet still favoured by 3.5 points at home against the 3-1 San Diego Chargers. The last two Saints losses have been extremely close -- by one point to Green Bay last week and in overtime to Kansas City the week before -- and they can still move the ball, so there is reason to believe that fortune will start favouring the Saints soon. Judging by the lines, there is an expectation that those fortunes could turn as soon as this week. A look at the Week 5 matchups: ARIZONA (-1.5) at ST. LOUISHowever unlikely it may be that the Arizona Cardinals are one of three remaining undefeated teams, they have a reasonable opportunity to carry that through Week Five. Arizona is still trying to get consistency in their running game, with Ryan Williams now the featured performer, and this week could be a good chance to grind out some yards on the ground since the Rams are allowing 4.7 yards per carry and rank 26th with 541 rushing yards allowed. At the same time, one of the Rams defensive strengths has been the play of their corners, Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins, in pass coverage, so this may not be the most fortuitous matchup for Cardinals wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts. St. Louis doesnt have anything special offensively -- perhaps aside from kicker Greg Zuerlein -- ranking 27th in the league with 281.0 yards per game (the Cardinals, incidentally, rank 31st with 271.0), but they mix in Steven Jacksons running game with short passes to Danny Amendola, occasionally setting up to take shots down the field. Arizonas defence has been impressive enough in its own right, with an above-average run defence and a secondary that can be pretty good (even if they were shredded by Miamis Brian Hartline last week) thanks to veteran safeties Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes, along with rising star cornerback Patrick Peterson. The upshot of all this is that the game figures to be low-scoring. Its the only game on the board this week with a total under 40 (39.5) and, based on two teams with above average defences and among the least productive offences, this one will be a grind. MIAMI (+3.5) at CINCINNATIEven though the Dolphins are 1-3 and the Bengals are 3-1, the spread indicates that these two teams are fairly close match, perhaps within a point if not for home field advantage. In any case, the Dolphins have the leagues stoutest run defence, allowing 2.4 yards per carry, so that could make it tough sledding for Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis. At the same time, the Dolphins defence has been vulnerable in the passing game, as only New Orleans and Tampa Bay have allowed more than Miamis 1191 passing yards. Given the development of the Bengals aerial attack, that should mean good things for receivers A.J. Green and Andrew Hawkins, as well as QB Andy Dalton. Where the Bengals are vulnerable is on the ground, where they are giving up 5.4 yards per carry and the strength of Miamis offence, which ranks fifth in rushing yardage (153.3 per game) is based around RB Reggie Bush, so that seems like an area that the Dolphins may want to exploit. GREEN BAY (-7) at INDIANAPOLISThe Packers havent been providing their usual high-octane offence, but do have the weapons to put up points, even if WR Greg Jennings is hampered (or altogether out of the lineup) due to a groin injury. Indianapolis defence hasnt been terrible, but is below average and cornerback Vontae Davis has been targeted early in the season, an approach that could work for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, whether he is getting the ball to Jordy Nelson, James Jones or Randall Cobb. Indys best chance to slow down the Packers lies in their ability to generate a consistent pass rush against a subpar Packers offensive line. With OLB Dwight Freeney expected to return to the lineup, after missing a couple games with a high ankle sprain, expect Freeney and his tag-team partner, Robert Mathis, to get after Rodgers frequently. Even if the Colts defence is able to perform at a respectable level, the offence will need to score. While QB Andrew Luck has WR Reggie Wayne as his number one target, there may be better opportunities to move the ball with secondary options like Donnie Avery and T.Y. Hilton. In an effort to slow the Packers pass rush, specifically from OLB Clay Matthews, the Colts can use RB Donald Brown more often, on draws and screen plays, which would also provide some necessary offensive balance. BALTIMORE (-6) at KANSAS CITYThe Ravens offence is now predicated on the passing game, with QB Joe Flacco throwing more than ever before and there is reason to believe that can be effective against Kansas City, since the Chiefs have allowed 8.5 yards per pass attempt, better than only four other teams. Even with top CB Brandon Flowers rounding into form after a preseason foot injury, the Ravens have receiver depth to take advantage against the Chiefs secondary. If the Chiefs are going to keep this game close, they probably need RB Jamaal Charles to produce, which wont be easy going against a Ravens D that has allowed just 3.2 yards per carry. There may also be some vulnerability in the Ravens pass defence, as only three teams have allowed more than the 1183 passing yards surrendered by the Ravens thus far and this despite the fact that CB Lardarius Webb is one of the highest-rated cover corners in the game. Maybe if the Chiefs can get earlier production from WR Dwayne Bowe, they will stay in the game, rather than looking for a late back-door cover. CLEVELAND (+8.5) at N.Y. GIANTSWhile the Browns are winless, they are not without assets that could pose some problems for the Giants. RB Trent Richardson is the focal point and should help keep Big Blue off balance so that QB Brandon Weeden has some time to throw downfield against a Giants secondary that is allowing 9.0 yards per pass attempt (tied for worst in the league). The challenge for Weeden is finding receivers who will hang onto the ball. Greg Little and Jordan Norwood were productive enough against Baltimore (eight catches, 133 yards combined), but had multiple drops that proved to be costly. If they hold on to a few more, the Browns might be able to hang around a while. Injuries to the receiving corps, including Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden, leave the Giants somewhat shorthanded, but the Browns secondary remains vulnerable without suspended CB Joe Haden, so look for Victor Cruz and Domenik Hixon to produce. QB Eli Manning should be able to coax a W out of the Giants, even if they are shorthanded, but its asking a lot to keep doing it with secondary options moving into the spotlight. PHILADELPHIA (+3) at PITTSBURGHComing off their bye week, the Steelers are getting healthier, with OLB James Harrison, SS Troy Polamalu and RB Rashard Mendenhall returning to the lineup. The Steelers need all their horses against a Philadelphia team that has been squeaking out close wins, but have also beaten quality teams along the way. A healthy Mendenhall could give the Steelers a semblance of a running game, they may be able to attack on the ground, because Philadelphias pass defence has been among the leagues best so far, allowing a league-low 52.4% pass completion percentage. Pittsburghs defence hasnt been dominant early in the season buut, to be fair, theyve been missing Harrison and Polamalu, two of their biggest playmakers in recent seasons.dddddddddddd If Harrison can generate a pass rush, that could force Michael Vick into turnovers, which is the ideal for any team facing the Eagles. If Vick plays under control, though, he has the weapons to give the Eagles a chance to take a tough road win. ATLANTA (-3) at WASHINGTONIt says something about the merits of the Redskins that they are only three-point dogs, even at home, against unbeaten Atlanta. Atlanta was exposed somewhat last week by Carolina, who ran the ball effectively and the Redskins can run the ball, thanks to RB Alfred Morris, who has helped Washington to be one of four teams averaging better than 5.0 yards per carry. Since Atlantas pass coverage has been relatively strong this season and Redskins No. 1 receiver Pierre Garcon is still getting back to form after missing a couple weeks with a foot injury, the ground game may be the Redskins best plan of attack. Running the ball might also allow Washington to keep the ball away from the high-powered Atlanta offence. The glaring issue for Washington, however is that their porous pass defence will have to have a monster effort against Falcons QB Matt Ryan, who has the leagues best QB rating (112.1) and has 11 passing touchdowns and two interceptions. So, best of luck to DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson in their matchups against Roddy White and Julio Jones. SEATTLE (+3) at CAROLINAA fascinating matchup as the Seahawks bring one of the games best run defences into Carolina, where the Panthers strength is running the ball, with running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams providing a two-pronged attack. Should the running game fail, the Panthers have a more effective passing game, particularly since QB Cam Newton has been turning his focus to TE Greg Olsen. Seattle will need their running game, spearheaded by Marshawn Lynch, to generate yards because rookie QB Russell Wilson continues to struggle -- his 148.5 passing yards per game is lowest among 32 starting quarterbacks -- and while the Panthers pass D is nothing special, theyre surrendering 4.9 yards per carry, which means they had better load up if they are going to have any hope of containing Lynch. CHICAGO (-6) at JACKSONVILLEComing off an impressive showing at Dallas Monday night, there is the possibility that a visit to Jacksonville will bring a letdown for the Bears, but they have a defence that can lock down the Jaguars impotent passing attack, with all due respect to rookie Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts (Laurent Robinson has a concussion), so that they can turn their attention to Maurice Jones-Drew, the only real threat on the Jacksonville roster. Chicagos offence has been inconsistent thus far but, when they are operating efficiently, Jay Cutler can get the ball downfield to Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery while the running back tandem of Matt Forte and Michael Bush grinds out yards. To slow the Bears down, Jacksonville will need to generate a pass rush to knock Cutler off his game and that hasnt been a strong suit since the Jaguars have registered a league-low two sacks thus far. DENVER (+6.5) at NEW ENGLANDAnother matchup between Peyton Maninng and Tom Brady, and it could be competitive because the Broncos defence has given them some life. Both the Broncos and Patriots allow opponents just 3.4 yards per carry and Denvers pass defence, anchored by Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter on the corners, has been better than average. Of course, after New Englands offensive explosion in the second half against Buffalo last week, Denver will need to be decidedly better than above average and former Broncos WR Brandon Lloyd will be one of the receivers that Denver needs to keep under wraps. Even though they blew out the Bills last week, the Patriots secondary was exposed at times and could be tested by Broncos wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, who have naturally thrived with Manning at the controls, so this game could be a passing free-for-all, just as one would expect in a Manning-Brady showdown. BUFFALO (+10) at SAN FRANCISCOAfter the first half against New England last week, Buffalo might have appeared capable of giving the 49ers a test, but after New England stomped the Bills in the second half, its going to require a massive rebound for the Bills to go to the West Coast and handle a 49ers team that is even more accomplished running the ball. Its asking a lot of Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to engineer a consistent offensive attack against the Niners vaunted defence. Even if WR Stevie Johnson can get loose down the field, Fitzpatrick -- who could have two new starters on the O-line this week -- may not have the time needed to throw the ball. That could leave the Bills to try and run with Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller facing a Niners run defence that allows just 3.2 yards per carry. San Francisco buried the Jets last week and, returning home, should be able to wreak similar havoc against the Bills, even if the Bills bring more to the table offensively. TENNESSEE (+5.5) at MINNESOTAWith QB Jake Locker sidelined due to a shoulder injury, the Titans turn to veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck as they visit the surprising Vikings. Considering the Vikings run defence has been especially strong, allowing 3.3 yards per carry and one rushing touchdown, which figures to cause problems for RB Chris Johnson, Hasselbeck ought to make gains through the air, where the Titans have improved depth, particularly when Kenny Britt joins Nate Washington and rookie Kendall Wright at wide receiver. While the Vikings will surely give Adrian Peterson a continued heavy workload in the running game, the Titans are allowing opposing QBs a rating of 118.3, worst in the league, so expect Minnesota to take advantage, with QB Christian Ponder getting the ball to Percy Harvin, Jerome Simpson and TE Kyle Rudolph. SAN DIEGO (+3.5) at NEW ORLEANSSan Diego comes in as underdogs against the winless Saints, who have to do more to prove that they are deserving of their winless record (a juxtuposition with the Arizona Cardinals, who have their share of doubters, even at 4-0). The Chargers have a bit of a running back controversy, with Jackie Battle usurping Ryan Mathews at the top of the depth chart and thats important enough because the Saints have allowed a league-high 747 yards on the ground. Come to think of it, that might be enough yardage for both to have productive games. New Orleans is atrocious defensively, but after rolling up 474 yards in total offence at Green Bay last week, they still have to be considered a dangerous team offensively. San Diego has an above-average defence, led by linebackers Donald Butler and Shaun Phillips, but theyre also getting strong performances from the secondary and from a relatively unknown defensive line (which includes Western Ontario grad Vaughn Martin). So long as the Chargers can put pressure on Drew Brees and contain the Saints passing game (not the easiest task, admittedly), there is a chance for a road upset. HOUSTON (-9) at N.Y. JETSGiven the current state of the Jets, its a good thing this game is at home or who knows how high the line, which opened at six, would end up? With no Darrelle Revis, the Jets dont have any defensive playmakers, so theyre going to be hard-pressed to shut down the Texans passing game, to say nothing of what happens when the Texans start churning out yards on the ground against a Jets defence that has allowed 691 rushing yards, ranking 31st in the league. Even if the Jets defence somehow rises to the occasion to make life difficult for Houston, the Texans have a ferocious defence that should have its way with a depleted Jets offence. Its one thing to get by with Mark Sanchez as your quarterback. Its another trying to do it against the top team in the league while Jeremy Kerley and Chaz Schilens are lined up as the starting receivers. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' ' 

UFA, Russia -- Boone Jenner has paid a heavy price for his late hit. The International Ice Hockey Federation suspended the Canadian forward three games on Monday for his check on Swedish defenceman Jesper Pettersson in the teams final exhibition contest prior to the start of the world junior hockey championship. Pettersson suffered a broken wrist and a dislocated shoulder on the play and had to be carried off the ice on a stretcher. Jenner was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for charging. "The video material indicated that the hit was late and delivered with no intention to play the puck and with Pettersson being in a vulnerable position," the IIHF said in a statement Monday. "It was Jenners intention to deliver the forceful check in spite of having the opportunity to at least make an attempt to avoid contact on Pettersson. "The hit was delivered far too late. This resulted in an injury to Swedens Pettersson and for this Jenner is to be held accountable." Jenner will miss Canadas games against Germany on Boxing Day, Slovakia on Friday and the United States on Sunday. He is eligible to return for the final game before the medal round against Russia on New Years Eve. Canadian coach Steve Spott said after Saturdays 2-1 shootout win over Sweden that he didnt think Jenner deserved a suspension. "Our feeling is (the hit) was shoulder-to-shoulder," Spott said. "If anything, maybe interference or a charge, but definitely not something thats worth suspending because, although Boone is an aggressive player, he didnt target anybodys head and he didnt leave his feet." Jenners suspension is the second major roster issue Spott has faced. The team had to fly in Prince Albert Raiders centre Mark McNeill over the weekend after left-winger Charles Hudon of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens aggravated a back injury during practice, ruling him out of the tournament. Canada has yet to submit its final roster for the tournament but Jenner will not be removed from the team. Robert Griffin III Jersey .S. Open champion Sam Stosur was beaten by Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. Caroline Wozniacki ousted Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-3, 7-5 in a meeting of former No. Redskins RG3 Jersey . 3 Li Jinzi of China. After a first-round bye in the middleweight division, the Wiarton, Ont., native lost a tight bout 17-14 to Li in the quarter-finals Monday. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/new.html . -- Canadians brought home a ton of medals at the Dew Cup on Friday.We know that NHL players dont get paid their salaries during a lockout. From the NHLs standpoint, being in a position to deprive players of income represents pretty meaningful leverage during CBA negotiations. What represents even more leverage? Players never getting that money back - or that year. If a full season is lost to a lockout, a player loses that entire year on his contract even though no hockey is ever played. That means that a lost year does not somehow carry over to the following year. The year is gone; the money is gone. The reason goes back to how a player contract is structured (or as its called, a Standard Players Contract or its short form, SPC). When a player signs a contract, he agrees that each contract year is counted as a "League Year". Under the CBA, a "League Year" is defined as July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next year. So NHL players dont sign for a defined number of NHL seasons; they sign for a defined number of years that may or may not include NHL hockey. Put another way, a player is employed for a year and not a season. Like the CBA that expired in September, expect the new CBA to even include a release agreed to by the NHLPA and its players barring a claim against NHL teams for "back pay" (see Section 27 of the CBA). Of course, it is possible that the sides could negotiate a deal whereby players get some compensation for a lost season. However, dont bet on it. This has an impact on a lot of teams, players and fans. When the league resumed play in 2005 after losing all of the previous season, the NHL never saw some of its more notable players again, including the likes of Ron Franciss, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Mark Messier, Vincent Damphousse and Adam Oates.dddddddddddd This time around may be no different. There are a number of players in their late thirties that will be free agents in 2013-2014. Some of these players may decide to retire or may not find a place to play. Heres a partial list of players that could be free agents in their late thirties next season: Kimmo Timonen, Patrik Elias, Sergei Gonchar, Tim Thomas, Daniel Alfredsson, Jaromir Jagr, Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu, Nikolai Khabibulin, Roman Hamrlik, Evgeni Nabokov, Vinny Prospal, Adrian Aucoin, Milan Hejduk, Jose Theodore and Jamie Langenbrunner. Remember if the salary cap comes down significantly, which is expected, teams may want to sign some of these players but may not have the cap space to do so, and instead may opt for cheaper talent. Apart from retirement, there is also the issue of turnover. With over 200 unrestricted free agents set to hit the market in 2013 if this season is lost, fans will likely see old faces on their teams replaced with new ones. As well, some fans may never even get a chance to see new players their teams have signed. Case in point: Carolina signed Alexander Semin to a one year deal, which means its possible Hurricane fans may never see him play for the team. So for players, there is a lot to lose by missing a season. And for some of these players, we may never see them again play NHL hockey. Eric Macramalla is TSNs Legal Analyst and can be heard each week on TSN Radio 1050. You can follow him on Twitter @EricOnSportslaw. ' ' ' 

TORONTO -- Khalif Mitchell is in trouble with the CFL once again. The league fined the B.C. Lions all-star defensive lineman an unspecified amount Tuesday for multiple "throat slashing" gestures committed in the clubs 19-18 win over the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday night. After the game, Mitchell defended his actions, saying he made a gesture in the form of a cross. But a television replay showed the defensive tackle making a throat-slashing gesture. Earlier this season, Mitchell served a two-game suspension handed down by the CFL for violently hyper-extending the arm of Edmonton offensive lineman Simeon Rottier in the Eskimos 27-14 win in Vancouver on July 20. Mitchell was not penalized on the play but was still suspended by CFL commissioner Mark Cohon. Mitchell launched an unsuccessful appeal. Saturday nights game was Mitchells first against Edmonton since the incident with Rottier. Mitchell flattened the Eskimos guard on the first series Saturday night and walked away without incident after quarterback Steven Jyles was sacked. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . The reigning Vanier Cup champions were ranked No. 1 in each of the 10 weekly polls this fall. For the fourth time this season, the Marauders received all 30 first-place votes and 300 points from the FRC panel. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . He hopped up for each grounder, gloved the ball and chased down Brady as he scampered up the first-base line at Wrigley Field. http://elevatedcolor.com/hot.html .C., and Zhaio Kai Pang of Burnaby, B.C., wont soon forget the bronze medal they won on Saturday at the fourth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.BEREA, Ohio -- When linebacker Chris Gocong was writhing in agony on the practice field, the Cleveland Browns were concerned. Hours later, the Browns found out it was worse than they thought. Gocong is likely out for the season after injuring his right Achilles tendon. "Its an Achilles for Gocong, so hell have surgery," coach Pat Shurmur said before a Saturday afternoon walk-through. "Theres no point in trying to conceal anything. Its an Achilles." A Browns spokesman said Gocong could have the surgery as soon as Monday and that surgeons will determine the severity of the injury at that time. Cleveland already was faced with not having linebacker Scott Fujita for the first three games because of his league suspension for being part of the bounty scandal in New Orleans before joining the Browns two years ago. Now they will open the year without at least three starters on defence. Lineman Phil Taylor will be sidelined until midseason as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. Everyone knew Gocong was hurt halfway through the morning practice, but the Browns held out hope that one of their team leaders would not be gone for long. "It looked serious. It always does when a guy doesnt get up," linebacker DQwell Jackson said. "You hate to see that. He plays a major role." Gocong clearly was in pain after crumpling to the ground during morning practice. Covered in sweat, he grimaced as trainers removed his right shoe and gingerly checked his lower leg. As he was lifted onto a cart, Gocongs leg hung straight downward. Shurmur pulled the squad away and resumed drills. He later explained that injuries happen and that the entire team must move on despite whatever emotions they may feel for a fallen teammate. "Injuries are an unintended consequence of this game," Shurmur said. "As safe as you try to be, it sometimes happens and it drives the coach nuts. "But for guys who dont play a lot, you learn you are one play from being in there full time." One day after new owner Jimmy Haslam III came to camp and provided a positive lift to a franchise that has been stuck in the losing doldrums, the Browns were dealt yet another damaging blow. "It affects us all, puts a damper on practice," Jackson said. "Chris can play every linebacker spot and play them well. If hes not there, its a major hit. All the other guys have to step up and do more." Gocong has been durable, starting all 32 games for Cleveland since being acquired from Philadelphia in a trade in April 2010.dddddddddddd An Eagles third-round pick in 2006, he missed that entire season with a stinger and played 79 of 80 games since. Signed to a three-year contract extension in September, the 28-year-old Gocong was a steadying influence on a defence needing consistency. He made 10 starts on the weak side, six on the strong, and got a career-best 3 1/2 sacks. He also recovered a fumble and made 67 tackles -- including two on a goal-line stand against Pittsburgh in December. Fujita went over to Gocong and offered encouragement as his friend was being driven away. "It was a freakish thing, no explanation for how or why," Fujita said of the way Gocong leaped to make a play and came down. "That play has happened a thousand times before." Gocong got hurt trying to prevent Jordan Cameron from making a leaping catch of a Brandon Weeden pass in the end zone. Fans and players cheered then fell silent when Gocong clutched his leg. Fujita remains hopeful of overturning his suspension or at least cutting it down with an appeal that will be heard Friday. "The filing was submitted yesterday and I was up last night reading legal stuff," Fujita said, adding that he will stay focused on football and let attorneys attend to details. He wont even go to the hearing and does not expect to be asked to speak. "Ill be with this team in Detroit," he said. "I dont know if there is even going to be testimony. They want me to talk, Ill do that." The Browns open their exhibition season that night against the Lions. Reserves Kaluka Maiava and Craig Robertson along with rookies James-Michael Johnson and L.J. Fort are sure to get more work at linebacker. Johnson, a fourth-round pick from Nevada, said he is ready. "Football throws stuff at you that you dont expect," he said. "Youve got to stay ready to do whatever." NOTES: Shurmur termed it a good practice despite Gocongs injury and an embarrassing miscue. "There were a lot of coachable moments," he said. "You saw a receiver (rookie Josh Gordon) catch a ball and stop running when he could have had a touchdown. Youll never see that again." ... Second-year DB Buster Skrine got the worst of it, but was cheered for the effort when he challenged 315-pound OL Oniel Cousins on a blitz -- and was driven to the ground as if hit by an avalanche. Fans cringed for the 5-9, 185-pound Skrine, who bounced up like nothing happened. ... The Browns have Sunday off and return to drills Monday afternoon. ' ' ' 

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