DUNEDIN, Florida – Ryan Goins 35th-career major league game will be his first on an Opening Day. "Yes he is the second baseman," said manager John Gibbons, confirming Goins has made the team. "Thats official today." The Blue Jays love Goins glove. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said earlier this spring he believes Goins is the best defensive second baseman the club has had since the days of Orlando Hudson, going so far as to call Goins Gold Glove-caliber. Goins offence, specifically his lack of offensive production, is where the concern lies, although youd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the organization to admit to it publicly. Instead, there is great optimism, most notably from hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, whos developed a bond with Goins dating back to a week spent together in Kansas City during the offseason. The two continue to work on adjusting Goins swing, the latest tweak made Sunday morning before a trip to play the Yankees. Goins has changed the position of his hands in his stance on multiple occasions, first bringing them down and then bringing them in closer to his body. The latest adjustment involves the elimination of a small hitch as Goins cocks his bat, allowing him to get his bat through the strike zone quicker and better square up the pitch. The hitch wasnt happening during soft toss and batting practice but would appear in game action. Far too often, Goins was rolling over on pitches. He hit into a double play in his first at-bat against the Yankees on Sunday but his contact was solid, which is viewed as a positive step. The pitch was a 94 mile per hour cut fastball. The club says it isnt just about results. "I just took a chance yesterday of getting (his hands) back even further and then just saying, feel like theyre not moving, which theyre still going to move but mentally hes thinking theyre not doing anything, load with your body, and his BP was probably the best its been yesterday," said Seitzer. "I feel like Im in a good place," said Goins. "Going into the season I feel like Im ready to go, ready to get it going. The hits havent come in spring training but Ive really made some strides and had some production and really been working on stuff so that when the season comes I dont have to worry. Thats kind of what spring training is for, to get your timing and get everything ready for the season so I think Im in a good spot." The Blue Jays held their annual minor league awards banquet at the Bobby Mattick complex on Monday morning. Goins took home the Triple-A MVP award for his 2013 season at Buffalo. He acquitted himself well defensively with the Blue Jays in 34 games following a mid-August call up. Hell bat ninth, where his .609 OPS from last season belongs and Gibbons has said Goins will need to "hold his own." The club is willing to trade some offence for defence at the bottom of the order. "Thats my job is to make productive outs," said Goins. "Whatever way I can help the team. Hitting a ground ball to the right side to get a guy over, bunting guys over, getting them in from third, just however I can get them in Im willing to do it. Whatever I need to do to stay here." "Hes doing everything that he needs to do to give himself the best chance against big league pitching," said Seitzer. "Im ecstatic from that standpoint. Hes seeing the ball good, recognitions good, plate disciplines been much better than what I understand its been in the past. Hes very confident on whats going on." REYES UNDERGOES MRI While Jose Reyes insists hes not concerned about the tightness hes feeling in his left hamstring, its enough of a concern that he underwent an MRI on Monday afternoon. Reyes was lifted after the third inning of Saturdays game against Detroit. Is this something he would play through if the games mattered? "Its not the regular season," said Reyes. "The regular season hasnt started yet so I cant think that way. Right now, thats my goal is to be ready for opening day." Manager John Gibbons says Ryan Goins likely will be the clubs shortstop on days when Jose Reyes needs a rest or is injured. Goins is a natural shortstop. MORROWS OUTING Brandon Morrow pitched five innings and threw a personal spring high of 74 pitches in Mondays 6-3, rain-shortened loss to the Phillies. His line was mixed: four earned runs on five hits, three walks and four strikeouts. "Obviously I would have liked to not have walked the two guys in the two scoring innings," said Morrow. "That kind of set up the scoring innings for them." Morrow has one more start before hes penciled in to pitch either the fourth or the fifth game of the season. Hell make that start on Saturday at Olympic Stadium in Montreal and the plan is for Morrow to exceed the 74 pitches he threw on Monday. Manager John Gibbons says the club will closely monitor Morrows pitch count during his early regular season outings. JANSSEN MAKES FIRST GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE APPEARANCE Casey Janssen, whos been on his own program this spring as he battles stiffness in the back of his pitching shoulder, stranded two Phillies singles over a scoreless inning in his first Grapefruit League appearance this year. A control artist not known for his velocity, Janssen wasnt concerned that his fastball topped out at 86 miles per hour. "I think as I continue to challenge my arm the velocity will come," said Janssen. "Still kind of feel like youre kind of breaking through some stuff from the winter and each and every day you kind of hit a new high and continue on like that." Janssen plans to pitch on back to back days on Thursday, against the Phillies in Clearwater, and on Friday versus the Mets in Montreal. TUIASOSOPO ARRIVES Its been quite the odyssey for Matt Tuiasosopo, who was finally in a Blue Jays uniform on Monday morning. "A little crazy," he said. "Flown a lot of miles." Tuiasosopo was in Sydney, Australia, where his former team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, played two season-opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was placed on waivers and picked up by the Blue Jays on Friday, necessitating a Sydney-to-Dallas-to-Tampa trip, 16 hours all told, not to mention the time change. Tuiasosopo is a right-handed hitter with some pop. He has a career .638 OPS hitting against left-handers in a limited major league sample size. He offers the Jays some defensive versatility, able to play the two corner outfield positions as well as first base and third base. "Not a lot of time, just a couple of days," said Tuiasosopo. "Better make the most of every opportunity I get." CAMP CUTS The Blue Jays pared down their major league roster by four bodies on Monday. Outfielder Anthony Gose was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Infielders Chris Getz and Steve Tolleson, and catcher Mike Nickeas were reassigned to minor league camp. Fake Vans Store . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. Fake Vans For Sale .Simon will work with head coach Gord Dineen and associate coach Derek King behind the bench of the Toronto Maple Leafs American Hockey League affiliate for the 2014-15 season. http://www.fakevans.com/. Not Peyton Manning. Hes holding on to the heartache to stoke his competitive fire. Wholesale Fake Vans . -- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of a strained calf muscle, and pitcher C. Fake Vans SK8 . Langer appeared to be in trouble when his second shot on the par-5 18th ended up in the rough short of the green. He hit a brilliant pitch to 5 feet and made the putt after Slumans birdie attempt rolled just wide.MIAMI -- David Beckham hopped onto the stage, his back to sun-splashed Biscayne Bay, and a pack of photographers jostled for position as admirers cheered and chanted. "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. The deal will be finalized when the former English national team captain can secure a financing plan and location for a new stadium. Beckham attended a news conference with MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to discuss their progress. "This is an exciting time, and something were really looking forward to bringing to Miami," Beckham told a crowd of more than 300 people on a downtown museum plaza. The event was frequently interrupted by cheers for Beckham, whos popular around the world and especially in celebrity-smitten Miami. The retired soccer icon has scouted possible stadium sites and is seeking investors to assist with startup costs such as construction and player acquisitions. Among those who might become involved is Miami Heat star LeBron James, who has had recent conversations with Beckham about bringing a team to Miami. "LeBron has become a friend over the last few years," Beckham said. "We spoke about this on the business side and also as friends. Hes very interested in this." Beckham, looking the part of a businessman in a suit and tie, said city officials have promised the teams stadium will be downtown, which is his preference. "We dont want public funding," Beckham said to applause. "We will fund the stadium ourselves. We have worked very hard to get to this stage where we can fund the stadium ourselves. We want to create a football club that is the peoples football club." Gimenez -- who at one point referred to Beckham as "Beckman" -- said theres political support for a plan. "We started our negotiations last week," Gimenez said. "We have to get rolling. Theres a time crunch. We are willing partners. We are very grateful that Mr. Beckham and MLS have chosen Miami as the site for their next franchise. Were going to do all in our power to make sure we get the stadium built in the right place as quickly as possible." New teams have been announced for 2015 iin New York City and Orlando, Fla.dddddddddddd, increasing the leagues total to 21. Beckham declined to offer a timetable regarding when Miami might play its first game, but a likely target is 2017. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain star has the right to an expansion team at a discount fee of $25 million. MLSs Miami Fusion played in Fort Lauderdale from 1998-01 before folding because of poor attendance, but this time, Beckhams star power could make a difference. "Miami is a vibrant city with a lot of passion," he said. "I know this city is ready for football -- soccer -- this time around. I know this is going to be successful." The crowd at the news conference included a throng of chanting, singing fans. "People here love this sport," Garber said. "We together have no doubt it will be a very successful MLS team." Beckham said he also wants to start a childrens soccer academy in Miami. Shareholders in the team will include Beckhams business partner Simon Fuller, the "American Idol" creator who is the driving force in franchise negotiations, and Marcelo Claure, president and CEO of Brightstar Corp. Beckham said hell finalize his group of investors over the next couple of months. He declined to say what players he would like to bring to the team. "We have a list," he said. "We want to bring some of the best players in football to Miami to play on this team. Ive seen what happens to teams when you bring great players in. Im talking about the Heat." That brought cheers from the crowd. James and the Heat have won the past two NBA titles. Beckham laughingly ruled out hiring his former manager, Alex Ferguson, to coach the team, but said he has ideas regarding that search, as well. "I kind of know what makes a great coach and what doesnt," he said. "Well have a good coach here." Beckham praised the growth in recent of years of MLS and said hes optimistic about the leagues direction. Regular-season attendance increased from an average of 15,504 in 2006 to a record 18,807 in 2012 before dropping slightly this season to 18,594. "Ive seen the change in this league," Beckham said. "Ive seen the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona come over to America. They want to play against the MLS teams. Theyre interested in this league, and thats whats changing." ' ' '

CINCINNATI - The Bengals defence is getting closer to full strength with Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict practicing in helmet and pads on Wednesday. Given how the last game went, its an encouraging sign.Cincinnatis defence played its worst game in years, losing at New England 43-17 on Sunday night. The Patriots piled up 505 yards, the most against a Bengals defence since 2007.Burfict has missed the last two games while recovering from his second concussion of the season. The Bengals missed tackles, had breakdowns in coverage and got pushed around in New England without Burfict in the middle of the defence.Cincinnati (3-1) hosts Carolina (3-2) on Sunday. The Bengals lead the AFC North, while the Panthers are atop the NFC South.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Pittsburgh Penguins Gear . Algeria led 3-0 at halftime, but withstood a stronger South Korean second half performance to claim its first World Cup win since 1982 and move into second place in Group H with one match left to play. Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/. Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (5) – He had a brilliant game; it was a huge response for his average games before. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys .Y. -- When the New York Islanders lead was cut in half in the opening minute of the third period, the sense of impending doom began wafting through Nassau Coliseum. Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder recently signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea, and after spending last season on loan with Valencia in La Liga, Romeu will move to the Bundesliga for the 2014-15 campaign.Danny Rose hopes the tears after losing out on the Premier League title can inspire a Champions League turnaround against Monaco. The Spurs and England left-back has revealed the emotional impact on some of his club team-mates after drawing against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season meant Leicester City were crowned English champions. Despite qualifying for the Champions League, Mauricio Pochettinos side are now close to an early exit from Group E and need to beat Monaco at the Stade Louis II on Tuesday in order to keep hopes of progression to the knockout stages alive. Dejected Spurs players react after conceding a second goal in the draw against Chelsea last season Spurs lie four points behind group leaders Monaco and two adrift of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, but Rose has urged his team-mates to recapture the heartbreak of last season in a bid to inspire them in Europe. The feeling after the Chelsea game last season is one that I never want to feel again, Rose said.There were people upset, crying in the changing room after that game. Its a feeling that we never want to feel again as a football club.I hope everyone has learned from that and we are going to try and push on this season.If we dont win, it looks like we are out of the Champions League. We have worked so hard for years and years to get this opportunity.We know if we dont win on Tuesday then we are more or less out of the competition so the manager will put out a strong team, I am sure, and we will go out to win that and then again on Saturday against Chelsea. Highlights of Tottenhams 3-2 win against West Ham on Saturday - their first victory in eight games Roses position in Pochettinos starting line-up came under question when the club signed left-back Ben Davies from Swansea in 2014, but handed Rose a new contract shortly after.dddddddddddd I remember what people used to say about me a few years ago - there was a lot of negative comments about me, even when I signed my contract before last, Rose said. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! It wasnt nice but I feel as if Ive got a strong character. I tried not to dwell on it too much.I have got a great small circle around me in terms of family and close friends and they have helped me massively to try and turn my form around from what it was a few years ago.Also the manager coming in and putting his arm around me - giving me confidence and making me feel I could be one of the best in this league and in Europe.I dont want to blow my own trumpet but I feel as if I am playing well. I owe my team-mates, my manager, my chairman and everyone at this football club for how I am playing now and how I played last season and how I played the season before that. Although Rose is expected to start against Monaco with Davies out injured, the England international will miss the trip to Chelsea on Saturday due to suspension. Ben Davies suffered an ankle injury in the Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen Im gutted, Rose said. I was aware that I was on four bookings before we played Arsenal and I tried my best not to get booked in that game.Im kicking myself because it was so unnecessary and yeah that was the first fixture I looked out for in the summer and I am gutted that I am going to miss it.But Ill be there, either travelling with the team or in with the fans, Ill make sure I am there to support the guys. Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4! Also See: Lloris: CL hopes rest on Kane Monaco v Tottenham preview Champions League permutations Kane hopeful over new deal ' ' '

PHILADELPHIA - Despite a slow start to the season, the Raptors (4-7) can overtake the surprising 76ers (5-7) in the standings and claim sole possession of first place in the Atlantic when the division rivals meet on Wednesday. Dwane Casey has reminded his players that "the league hasnt gone anywhere" and their own division is a prime example. Its still early but Atlantic front runners New York and Brooklyn sit at the bottom of the division, both at 3-7, while Philadelphia - expected to be among the NBAs worst this season - has been a pleasant surprise, although the young 76ers appear to be coming back down to earth. "You read all this stuff about, theyre not playing to win, or whatever," Casey said, referring to the widespread belief that Philadelphia has constructed its team with the intention to tank this season. "Teams go in there with that relaxed attitude and thats not true." "Whatever the message is, those players are playing hard to win. You can have a different mission as an organization but as players theyre playing to win." After a 3-0 start - with impressive wins over the Heat and Bulls - the 76ers have struggled and, like the Raptors, have lost three of four coming into Wednesdays game. Two of Torontos defeats have come in overtime, including a 118-110 loss to the Trail Blazers at home Sunday afternoon. Rudy Gay scored 10 of his team-high 30 points during a 19-6 fourth-quarter run which was capped off by the forwards buzzer-beating layup to force extra time. The 76ers - who have defeated Toronto in seven of nine meetings - are coming off a 97-94 loss in Dallas on Monday, a game in which they shot just 38 per cent from the field. "They play really hard and outwork guys," said Philadelphia-native Kyle Lowry. "Theyve got some good players, theyve got players that are trying to make a name for themselves and theyre just going out there and playing hard." The Raptors havent been atop the Atlantic later than 10 games into a season since 2006-07, the only year they won the division. Trends and Tidbits Gay (20.6 points per game) and DeMar DeRozan (20.5) are one of four pairs of teammates averaging 20 or more points apiece in the NBA. Gay has scored 20 or more in each of the last four contests however, the team is winless (0-3) when both players exceed 20 points in the same game. The Raptors are 0-5 when DeRozan scores 20 or more. Gay and DeRozan have accounted for 46 per cent of the teams field goal attempts through 11 games, shooting a combined 39 per cent from the floor. The Raptors have reached 100 points in four of their last five games, averaging 102.4 points, after failing to hit the century mark in each of the six games to open the season, scoring 92.3. Toronto is 2-2 when scoring 100 or more this season and was 16-16 a year ago. Amir Johnson is one block away from reaching 500 for his career. Johnson has blocked 342 shots in 310 games as a Raptor and currently ranks seventh on the teams all-time blocks list. What to Watch For Control the pace With an average age just under 24-years-old, the 76ers are tied with Cleveland for the youngest team in the NBA. Theyre young, theyre quick and they look to run wherever possible. "They have some guys that get out in transition," Casey said of the hosting 76ers, who play at the fastest pace in the league. "Weve got to get back, build a wall, ready to play quick one-one-one defence and then when the shot goes up, weve got to make sure we find a body." Conversely, Toronto is last in the league in pace and although the Raptors coach has indicated hed like to get out in transition, hes also not planning on forcing the issue. "I dont know if we have natural runners," Casey said. "A lot of people get caught up in pace of play [but] I dont. I think you have to play the pace of play thats comfortable according to your talents." Pressure the young Sixers "The number one thing, the way they beat Miami, the way they beat Houston, the way they beat Chicago is hard play," Casey said of the 76ers. "Weve got to match that intensity at their place." The 76ers have snuck up on a few of the leagues elite teams with their hard play but more recently, their youth and inexperience has stood out. Philadelphia is committing an average of 17.3 turnovers per game, sixth most in the league, including 4.4 in the fourth quarter. Toronto has outscored its opponent in the fourth quarter in each of its last four games. Bench production Can either teams second unit step up and take pressure off the starters? Both teams rank in the bottom four in bench scoring, the Sixers reserves averaging 24.3 points per game (27th) and Torontos subs scoring 23.9 (29th). Who to Watch For Kyle Lowry The Raptors point guard has done a better job as the teams floor general, totalling 24 assists and only three turnovers over the last three games. However, he continues to struggle with his jump shot. Lowry is just 6-for-26 from the field in his last two contests, including 1-for-14 from three-point range. Lowry, a Philadelphia native, will look to get back on track against the team he grew up watching. "It never gets old," Lowry said ahead of his return to Philadelphia. "It never gets old because its home." The 27-year-old is averaging 13.8 points and 5.8 assists in five career games in his hometown. Evan Turner The fourth-year forward is one of the young 76ers players who has stood out early in the season, taking advantage of the added playing time hes been given. Turner is scoring a career-best 22.0 points per game on 47 per cent shooting, also averaging 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Historically, Turner has struggled against Toronto, averaging only 8.2 points on 35 per cent shooting in 11 career meetings with the Raptors. Injury Report 76ers rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams has missed the last four games with a bruised left foot but participated in shootaround Wednesday morning and hopes to play against Toronto. Raptors forward Quincy Acy is questionable after spraining his right ankle early in Sundays game against Portland. Cheap Shoes Black Friday . -- One shot came out of bottom of a cactus, the other from the base of a desert bush with rocks scattered around it. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . The match, billed as a "next-gen" encounter between two of the sports rising stars, lasted two and a half hours. The loss kept Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., from reaching a third fourth-round spot in Melbourne over the past four years. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/. Johns, N.L., to Thunder Bay, Ont., after a deal was announced to build a new $106-million "event centre" in the Lake Superior community. Discount Shoes Black Friday .com) - The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots intentionally deflated balls during Sundays AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis. Buy Shoes Black Friday . Kenny Miller scored from the penalty spot and Camilo Sanvezzo came off the bench to add two late goals as the Whitecaps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over the sagging Impact on Saturday afternoon.NEW YORK -- The latest buzzer-beater at the Big East tournament belongs to a Seton Hall reserve with a familiar last name. Sterling Gibbs hit a step-back jumper as time expired and Seton Hall stunned No. 3 Villanova 64-63 in a thrilling quarter-final Thursday, a loss that could cost the Wildcats a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. "Were really confident, honestly, especially after you beat the No. 3 team in the country," said Gibbs, a sophomore transfer from Texas whose brother was a Pittsburgh star. "We know if we can beat them, we can beat anyone. So were just up for the challenge." Eugene Teague had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the eighth-seeded Pirates (17-16), who advanced to the tournament semifinals for the first time in 13 years. They will play Friday night against No. 4 seed Providence, which held off fifth-seeded St. Johns 79-74. Josh Hart scored 18 to lead the top-seeded Wildcats (28-4), beaten only twice in 18 regular-season conference games while winning their first outright Big East title since 1982. Both losses were blowouts by Doug McDermott and Creighton. "Youve all heard me say this before: This was not about 1 seeds, 2 seeds. This was about we wanted to come to Madison Square Garden and win the Big East tournament. Winning the Big East tournament would mean much more to us than a 1 seed," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "The NCAA tournament seedings, my belief is 1, 2, 3, it doesnt matter that much. Youre going to play great teams." Patrik Auda scored all 13 of his points in the first half for Seton Hall, a 10 1/2-point underdog. But the pesky Pirates, accustomed to playing close games, built a 15-point lead and recovered after Villanova spurted past them with a 16-0 run in the second half. It was Seton Halls first victory in five tries against top-seeded teams at the Big East tournament. "We never really got rattled," coach Kevin Willard said. "These guys have a lot of heart. They have a lot of character, and they deserve to win." Villanova took a 63-62 lead on Darrun Hilliards floater in the lane with 7.8 seconds to go. Seton Hall pushed the ball past halfcourt, then called timeout with 3.7 seconds left. With much of the crowd on its feet, Jaren Sina inbounded and Gibbs backed off Hilliard with a hard step back, draining a 17-foot jumper from the top of the key just as the horn sounded. "We usually dont like to call timeouts. We usually like just to go. But I wanted the ball, at that time, in Sterlings hands," Willard said. A fired-up Gibbs, who finished with 10 points, jumped onto the scorers table and looked up at the crowd as excited teammates ran all over the ccourt in a wild celebration.dddddddddddd The shot was a near carbon copy of the one Kemba Walker hit three years ago at the Garden during Connecticuts captivating run to Big East and NCAA tournament championships. That buzzer-beating jumper by Walker, also in the quarterfinals, beat a top-seeded Pittsburgh team that was led by Gibbs brother, Ashton. "It ended up being a little bit of a scramble. The plan kind of got switched up a little bit," Sterling Gibbs said before Teague interrupted. "A little bit?" said the senior centre. "Yeah, a lot of bit," Gibbs acknowledged. "In the end, it was supposed to get in my hands and I was supposed to create a shot for my teammates or create a shot for myself, and I just stepped back and hit the jumper." Hilliard scored all 11 of his points in the second half. JayVaughn Pinkston also had 11 for the Wildcats, but the 77 per cent free throw shooter was 3 of 10 at the foul line as the Wildcats went 15 for 25 (60 per cent) to Seton Halls 6-for-9 mark. The Pirates limited Villanova to 37.9 per cent shooting and 21.1 per cent from 3-point range (4 for 19), less than 18 hours after holding Butler to a 2-for-18 mark (11.1 per cent) from long distance in the opening round. "We got the shots we wanted to. We just werent making them," Villanova guard Ryan Arcidiacono said. Playing in the Big East quarterfinals for the first time since 2003, the Pirates won despite getting only seven points from leading scorer Fuquan Edwin on 3-of-15 shooting. Villanova won both regular-season meetings, by an average of 16.5 points, and figured to have an advantage again after Seton Hall had to hold off Butler 51-50 Wednesday night. Early on, though, it was the Pirates who looked fresh even though they had little time to rest. On a bitterly cold day in the Big Apple, the Wildcats took a while to warm up. They missed 13 of their first 14 attempts from 3-point range and trailed 44-31 with 14 minutes remaining. But they made a flurry of steals during a 16-0 run and took their first lead at 47-44 on Hilliards 3-pointer with 8:03 left. Edwin tied it with a 3 and Teague followed with a three-point play to put the Pirates back in front. With the score tied at 59, Arcidiaconos steal sent Villanova on a fast break that culminated in Harts layup with 40 seconds left. Undeterred, the Pirates worked the ball around and Gibbs passed to Sina for a 3 from the left corner that gave them for a 62-61 edge with 17.2 seconds remaining. "That was a great college basketball game," Wright said. "Great to be a part of it. Great atmosphere. The Garden was rocking. We had a lot of fun." ' ' '

Buffalo, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Moulson scored the lone goal of the shootout to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday. Moulson, the Sabres first shooter, patiently skated up the slot and wristed a shot over Robin Lehners shoulder. Buffalo netminder Jhonas Enroth was a wall, stopping Ottawas first two shooters and the skills competition ended as Bobby Ryan rang a shot off the goalpost. Marcus Foligno and Brian Flynn each had a goal and an assist, while Rasmus Ristolainen and Moulson also lit the lamp for the Sabres, who won their fourth straight game. Enroth made 29 saves in the win. Curtis Lazar scored his first NHL goal, Alex Chiasson tallied a goal and a helper and Mark Stone and Ryan each had goal for the Senators, who were coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Boston on Saturday. Lehner stopped 29 pucks in defeat. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . -- On any given day here at his companys Silicon Valley headquarters, Vivek Ranadive is ready to compete against any employee who wants to challenge him to any contest. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys . - Their offence is underperforming. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/. -- Michigan coach John Beilein is willing to give Nik Stauskas a little leeway when it comes to shot selection. Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap . - This is just the warm-up act for 18-year-old William Nylander. Nike NFL Jerseys Outlet .Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month.While Kadri is technically in disguise in the video, lets get one thing straight, Nazem Kadri in a Bee Gees wig still looks like Nazem Kadri. The promotional video features Kadri trying his hand at waiting tables, preparing desserts, and throughout the entire video not a single person sees through his disguise. Even as Kadri throws salt on a customer, and attempts to do as poor of a job as he can in the restaurant, not a single person recognizes him. To be fair, KKadri does an excellent job of throwing patrons of the trail, by cycling through six different accents, ranging from Spanish sounding, to tough New Yorker.dddddddddddd Kadris poor service may not land him a job at the restaurant, but his new outfit should give him control of the Leafs locker room boom box, next season. It shouldnt be too hard to guess which track the 4th Bee Gee will choose to play from his greatest hits; Stayin Alive ' ' '

Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - A chant of Zeke reverberated around AT&T Stadium before Ezekiel Elliott powered into the end zone for his fourth and final touchdown. The Ohio State Buckeyes are back on top. They can thank the inaugural College Football Playoff for that. Elliott ran for 246 yards, totaling over 200 for a third straight game, and Ohio State won its first national championship since 2002 with a 42-20 victory over Oregon in the CFP National Championship Game on Monday night. The Buckeyes snuck into the final four of the CFP committees final rankings on Dec. 7 after not being included in any of their previous unveilings. Their vaulting into the No. 4 spot came a day after Elliott gained 220 yards and two scores in Ohio States 59-0 shutout win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes then went out and silenced their critics in the Sugar Bowl when Elliott ran for 230 yards and two more touchdowns in their 42-35 win over top- seeded Alabama. Elliott put the final stamp on the stunning title run Monday night. After the Ducks pulled within a point in the third quarter, Elliott ran for a trio of scores to lift Ohio State to its fifth national championship. The emergence of the sophomore Elliott took the pressure off Cardale Jones, who was making his third career start. Jones, of course, took over at quarterback following the injuries to Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. Jones was 16-of-23 for 242 yards with a touchdown and an interception and added 38 yards rushing and a score for Ohio State, which won despite turning the ball over four times. Heisman trophy winner Marcus Mariota was 24-of-37 for 333 yards and two touchdowns to go with a pick for the No. 2 Ducks, who routed Florida State 59-20 in the Rose Bowl to reach the title game. Mariota also carried the ball 10 times for 39 yards, Byron Marshall caught eight passes for 169 yards and a score and Thomas Tyner ran for 62 yards on 12 totes in defeat. After failing to capitalize on a pair of Ohio State miscues in the first half, the Ducks were able to post 10 points on the Buckeyes first two turnovers of the third quarter. The Buckeyes committed their third turnover on their opening series of the second half. The ball popped off the hands of Jalin Marshall after Ohio State moved the ball into Oregon territory, and an alert Danny Mattingly was there to pick it off. Mariota fired a 70-yard TD pass to a wide-open Byron Marshall on the very next play to trim the gap to 21-17. Elliott darted up the middle for two yards to move the chains on a 4th-and-1, but Jones lost the ball on the next snap when the ball slipped out of his hand as he rolled right. Aidan Schneider hit a 23-yard field goal to whittle the deficit to 21-20 midway through the third quarter. Ohio State, though, responded by pounding the ball with Elliott. He carried it six times for 44 yards on its ensuing touch, finishing off the 12-play sequence with a bruising 9-yard TD run off the left edge to up the Buckeyes margin to 28-20 on the final play of the third. The Buckeyes defense then forced a three-and-out and Elliott was back at it again. Jones zipped a 19-yard completion to Jalin Marshall over the middle and Elliott barreled in from two yards out to make it 35-20 at the 9:44 mark of the fourth. Joey Bosa drove Mariotas shoulder to the turf on a first down play and the signal caller had to exit for a snap. Jake Fisher was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and Tyrell Crosby was whistled for a false start to make matters worse. It was 3rd-and-26 when Mariota re-entered the game and he hit Dwayne Stanford for a pickup of 19 yards, and Oregon coach Mark Helfrich elected to punt. Mariotas 4th-and-11 pass fell incomplete on the Ducks next touch and Elliott powered in from a yard out with 28 ticks on the clock to cap the scoring. Earlier, the Buckeyes put up 21 straight points after Oregon scored a touchdown on its opening drive. Ohio State found the end zone on consecutive possessions late in the first quarter after punting on its initial series. Jones fired a 26-yard strike on a 3rd-and-8 to Corey Smith, then rolled left and tossed another 26-yard completion to Jalin Marshall. Jalin Marshall prolonged the drive when he fought for the first-down marker after going in motion and receiving a pop pass from Jones on a 4th-and-2. Elliott then zoomed through the secondary off the left side of the line for a 33-yard touchdown that tied the game at 7-7. Marshall returned a punt 17 yards to the Oregon 46 and Elliott later barreled to the 1 following a 17-yard run. Jones flipped a 1-yard TD pass to Nick Vannett in the left flat with 1:08 left in the first quarter. After a rolling Jones lofted a 43-yard completion to Devin Smith on a 3rd- and-12 in the second quarter, he snuck in from a yard out three plays later for a 21-7 Buckeyes advantage with 4:49 to go in the half. Schneider nailed a 28-yard field goal in the final minute to get the Ducks within 21-10. The Ducks, who turned the ball over just 10 times during the regular season, had a pair of close calls on their opening drive. Tyner lost the football after dashing through a huge hole off right guard, but it bounced right back to him and he gained 12 yards. Mariota later fumbled when he picked his way for seven yards on a scramble, but a replay showed that his knee was down. Mariota then capped the initial 11-play, 75-yard march when he eluded pressure, stepped up in the pocket and hit Keanon Lowe for a 7-yard score. Oregons first half was defined by miscues. Mariotas first two incompletions were third-down drops and the Ducks were not able to capitalize on a pair of Ohio State fumbles. The aggressive Ducks elected to go for it on a 4th-and-goal from the OSU 3 following a fumbled exchange between Jones and Elliott, but the Buckeyes stuffed Tyner at the 1. Oregon then went three-and-out after recovering a Corey Smith fumble following a 47-yard reception. Game Notes Ohio State coach Urban Meyer won his third national title and first with the Buckeyes. He became the second head coach to win national championships at two different schools, joining Nick Saban ... Elliott carried the ball 36 times, averaging 6.8 yards per carry ... Oregon was without freshman receiver Darren Carrington, who failed an NCAA administered drug test prior to the game ... Ohio State outgained Oregon 538-465 ... The Buckeyes were 8-of-15 on third down, while the Ducks finished 2-of-12. Wholesale Yeezy China .C. -- Unable to get much lift off his sore right ankle, Bobcats centre Al Jefferson figured it was time to make an adjustment. Clearance Yeezy For Sale .S. Olympic hockey management team have been making what he called "ghost rosters" since August. https://www.yeezychina.us/. This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Fake Yeezy China . Quarterback Drew Willy appeared to injure his throwing hand on the third last play of practice Thursday. Cheap Yeezy China .Kessy tried to show what he can do playing left wing for the Oilers in 5-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday in pre-season action.MINNEAPOLIS -- Derek Jeter was a huge hit from the very start in his final All-Star game. Batting leadoff for the American League, the 40-year-old shortstop for the New York Yankees soaked in an ovation that lasted more than a minute at Target Field, then seized the moment Tuesday night by hitting a double. Jeter soon crossed the plate for the games first run. After three innings of action, he was ceremonially removed from his familiar position in the field to one more round of revering cheers as his mom, dad, sister and nephew watched from the stands. "Its been fun family time for us," Jeter said later. The double was one of Jeters classic, opposite-field line drives to right. He singled to right field in his next at-bat, too, raising his All-Star batting average to a robust .481 -- 13 hits in 27 at-bats. Thats the second-best of all time for players with 20 or more at-bats, behind Charlie Gehringer. OK, so maybe NL starter Adam Wainwright admitted he threw something juicy for Jeter to hit. "I was going to give him a couple pipe shots," the right-hander said. "He deserved it." Wainwright later said that he didnt want to take away from Jeters first inning hit. "It was mis-said," the pitcher said in a television interview. "I hope people realize Im not intentionally giving up hits out there." Jeter showed off in the field, too. In the top of the first, he made a slick, diving stop on Andrew McCutchens sharp groundball up the middle. Jeter got to his feet and fired an on-target throw to first base, but the fleet-footed McCutchen was too fast, beating it out for a leadoff single. McCutchen smiled and pointed at Jeter, who grinned back at the reigning NL MVP. The Yankees captain also had a few words for his teammates. AL manager John Farrell of Boston asked Jeter to speak to the players in the clubhouse before the game. "Just said a couple things," Jeter said. This was the 14th time Jeter was picked as an All-Star. Hes set to retire after this season. When Jeter stepped to the plate, the crowd gave him a 63-second ovation, prompting him to wave, nod and tip his helmet several times. Wainwright, who spoke the day before about how proud he would be to pitch to Jeter on this memorable occasion, backed up toward second base and left his glove on the mound so he could clap along with everyone else at the ballpark. "For him to do that meant a lot to me," Jeter said. With a wide smile, Jeter shouted a few words towward the St.dddddddddddd Louis ace, good-naturedly encouraging him to get the inning going. "Just saying, Dude, Im not going anywhere until this ovation is starting to die down," Wainwright said. "So he was telling me to go, and I just thought he deserved it." Fittingly, a recording of late Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppards famous monotone introduction was played as he walked up for his at-bat with thousands of smartphones snapping away in the seats: "Now batting, for the American League, from the New York Yankees, the shortstop, No. 2, Derek Jeter, No. 2." The tribute came right after a national television audience tuned to Fox saw a Nike commercial that featured the likes of Michael Jordan, Jay-Z and Rudolph Giuliani paying their respects to the captain. Right after that, he connected on the second pitch from Wainwright. "I didnt know he was going to hit a double, or I would have changed my mind on that," Wainwright said. "I thought he was going to hit something hard to the right side for a single or an out. I probably should have pitched him a little bit better." In the third, Jeter took Cincinnati ace Alfredo Simon to a full count before his single. Then, right before the fourth inning began, Jeter was taken out for Alexei Ramirez and the captain jogged off. With Frank Sinatras "New York, New York" playing on the stadium speakers, he waved to the crowd and exchanged hugs and handshakes in the AL dugout and then took a curtain call before the game resumed. Earlier in the day, Jeter was the first player to ride down the red carpet that was rolled out for downtown parade of the games greats, from their hotel to the ballpark about 10 blocks away. The hearty ovations started there, while Jeter rode with his parents and other family members, who came to Minneapolis for the event. "I think everyone WANTS it to sink in that this is my last," Jeter said in the clubhouse before batting practice, "but Im just trying to enjoy it while Im here and stop thinking about this is the last one." Commissioner Bud Selig said Major League Baseball has been discussing ways to formally honour Jeter as he enters the final few months of his career. "If you were sitting two decades ago and you said, Boy, this is a guy I want to be the face of baseball and be what this generation will remember, you couldnt have written a script like this," Selig said. "He is just remarkable." ' ' '

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta says the clubs La Liga crown is the ultimate gauge of consistency. Saturdays 3-0 win over Granada confirmed Barca as champions of Spain, with the club picking up their sixth title in eight years.A run of just one win in five games had seen the Catalan club allow Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid back into the title race, but five straight wins to finish the season saw them top the league ahead of Real by just a single point. Weve worked really hard for this all year, Iniesta said. We suffered right at the end, but it tastes of victory, it tastes of glory.This league is the ultimate gauge of consistency, its the one we really want to win every year. We try to win every competition, but this is the big one. Suarez celebrates Barcelonas second goal on his way to a hat-trick The Iniesta and Lionel Messi generation have won a remarkable eight league titles - out of 24 total titles in Barcelonas history - but the Spaniard sent out a warning to the competition just minutes after the game.To have won eight titles says a lot about this generation, Iniesta said. But we are going to try and keep this going and win as many titles as possible.Luis Suarez scored all three goals on the day with a hat-trick to confirm his Pichichi crown as the divisions top goalscorer.And centre-back Gerard Pique celebrated with his young sons on the pitch after the game at Granada, and told Sky Sports Guillem Balague that it was a title that Barcelona deserved to win.We are really happy, we deserve this league, Pique said. To win six out of eight is incredible. Also See: Suarez fires Barca to title Balagues XI of the season Barcelona video Barcelona stats Get a ￡10 free bet! NCAA Jerseys China . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Replica NCAA Jerseys . Assistant coach Glen Gulutzan said Thursday that Edler, who played Tuesday in Nashville, is out indefinitely. https://www.chinajerseysncaa.us/. -- Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh says he isnt going to change what he does on the field. Custom NCAA Jerseys . According to Tony Barrett of The Times, the Liverpool captain is set to announce that he will leave the club at the end of the 2014-15 season. Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic .Shipulin pulled away from Martin Fourcade of France, Simon Eder of Austria and Fredrik Lindstrom of Sweden to finish in 35 minutes 16.8 seconds. Fourcade was 1.2 seconds back in second place to reclaim the overall World Cup lead, with Eder another 0.The international season got underway on Thursday, but lovers of the shortest form of the game are also well catered for on Sky Sports this summer, because the NatWest T20 Blast starts on Friday night. The tournament is set to play out in front of packed crowds with ticket sales up a third on last year, as fans eagerly book in advance to make sure they can watch some of the biggest names in world cricket.And Englands vibrant performances at the World T20 in India, where they reached the final before losing a thriller to West Indies, have really whetted the appetite for this years Blast. Six matches get the tournament going on Thursday night and the Sky Sports 2 cameras will be at Chelmsford to watch Essex Eagles take on Surrey under the floodlights.Essex are looking to reach finals day (Edgbaston, August 20) for the first time since 2013 and they have a squad packed with quality T20 performers.Former England man Ravi Bopara has taken over as one-day skipper and he will be joined in the side by other crowd pleasers such as Jesse Ryder, Ryan ten Doeschate, Graham Napier and experienced wicket-keeper James Foster. The T20 Blast is back this Friday as the Essex Eagles takes on Surrey, live on Sky Sports 2 from 7pm Most intriguingly of all, top-notch Pakistan international paceman Wahab Riaz is set to make his debut for the Eagles, having previously played for Kent and Surrey.Essex may also give a debut to another Pakistani in the shape of Ashar Zaidi, an all-rounder who was player of the tournament in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League.However, the Eagles will have their work cut out on Friday against a Surrey side who can name one of the greatest batsmen of all time in their T20 squad. Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara is a prolific run scorer in all formats Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara has been in prolific form in the County Championship this summer but is also an excellent white ball performer, winning the man-of-the-match award in the World T20 final of 2014 after making an unbeaten half-century to steer his country to glory.ddddddddddddBig-hitting Jason Roy played some superb innings for England in this years World T20 and is also a reliable source of runs at the top of the Surrey order.The duo will be key figures in a side which could also include Steven Davies, Azhar Mahmood and a pair of hugely exciting prospects in the shape of the Curran brothers, Sam and Tom. Big-hitting Chris Gayle was a big hit at Somerset last summer! Once the Indian Premier League has finished, some of the games biggest hitters will be heading around the other counties, headed by master blaster Chris Gayle, who will be back for a second spell with Somerset.The West Indian smashed 29 sixes in the tournament last year and several of Somersets home games have already sold out, with punters eager to watch Gayle - and the Sri Lankan great Mahela Jaywardene.Other household names who will be in action at various times during the Blast will be Brendon McCullum (Middlesex), Shahid Afridi and Darren Sammy (both Hampshire), Ross Taylor (Sussex) and Dale Steyn (Glamorgan). Lancashire ran out deserved winners of the Blast in 2015 Top-class New Zealand opener Martin Guptill will be at Lancashire Lightning, and it is easy to argue that last years winners go into the tournament as the team to beat once again.Guptil will be joined in the batting line-up by Englands Jos Buttler, one of the most destructive T20 players on the planet on his day, and the Lightning also have an array of spinners well-versed in keeping things tight under pressure.Dont miss Essex Eagles v Surrey in the T20 Blast, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 7pm on Friday. Also See: Glamorgan to unveil Steyn WATCH: Top Blast catches of 2015 WATCH: Blast funnies 2015 WATCH: Top Blast moments ' ' '

OAKLAND, Calif. -- David Ortiz saved his only hit for a key moment for the Boston Red Sox. Ortiz connected for a leadoff home run in the 10th inning, and the Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Sunday to avoid a four-game series sweep. "I like to go out there and make things happen," Ortiz said. "Weve had a good game, had a good series and then we go back to struggles. So hopefully everything changes at some point." Ortiz was the only Boston starter without a hit until he lined a 1-2 pitch from Fernando Abad (2-3) over the wall in left-centre for his 17th homer. The Red Sox had to go extra innings after letting a 6-1 lead slip away. The As scored three runs in the eighth, and then homered twice in the ninth against Koji Uehara (3-1). The closer had converted 31 consecutive save opportunities dating to 2013. "Im getting hit on day games," Uehara said through an interpreter. "I think its because Im old. Im not woken up." The Red Sox pulled within 6 1/2 games of first-place Toronto in the AL East. New York and Baltimore are 1 1/2 games back. Ortizs homer came four days after the designated hitter belted a tying drive in the 10th inning of a 2-1 victory against Minnesota. "He does have the knack for the moment," Boston manager John Farrell said. "More than anything he stays at rest or at peace mentally in those key spots and doesnt miss his pitch when he gets it." Mike Napoli and David Ross also homered for Boston, which had been limited to two runs or fewer in eight consecutive games. Napoli scored another run as part of a double steal, and former As player Jonny Gomes added a two-run single. Oaklands late surge negated a strong outing by Boston starter Jon Lester. Lester, who had a career-high 15 strikeouts against the As earlier this season, allowed two earned runs and four hits over 7 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. The veteran left-hander left after hitting Craig Gentry and walking Jed Lowrie with two outs in the eighth. Burke Badenhop came in and gave up three consecutive RBI singles to make it 6-4 before Andrew Miller got pinch-hitter Coco Crisp to line out to shortstop. Uehara, who had the longest successful save streak in the majors, blew a shot at extending his impressive run when he yielded home runs by Stephen Vogt and pinch-hitter John Jaso. "Thats a good example of the kind of grit and determination this team has," said Oakland closer Sean Doolittle, who grounded out to second as a pinch hitter in the 10th. "Night after night it seems like its only a matter of time before our offence finds a way to come through and push some runs across." Oakland catcher Derek Norris had to leave the game in the 10th after a frightening situation when he was hit in the back of the head by Gomes bat on a follow-through swing. Norris immediately dropped to the ground as home plate Greg Gibson quickly called for As trainers. Norris was eventually helped to his feet and walked to the dugout. He was taken to a hospital as precaution and was scheduled to undergo a CAT scan. Boston broke out of its week-long scoring slump and got to Tommy Milone after loading the bases with two outs in the first on two singles and a walk. Gomes two-run single put the Red Sox up 2-0. Ross, who homered off Milone earlier this season at Fenway Park, did it again on the first pitch in the second. NOTES: Oaklands last four-game sweep of Boston came in 1971 at Fenway Park. ... Oakland 1B Kyle Blanks left after getting thrown out at home in the second. Blanks has been nursing a calf strain and aggravated it while sliding into home plate. ... With two days off in the next week, the As plan to skip Sonny Grays turn in the rotation. Gray, who has yet to pitch a full season in the majors, has already logged a team-leading 99 innings. ... Boston OF Shane Victorino (right hamstring strain) took batting practice with Triple-A Pawtucket but did not play. .. Red Sox RHP John Lackey (8-4) pitches the series opener against Seattle on Monday. ... It was Oaklands eighth sellout of the season. Cheap Air Max Free Shipping . UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport. Cheap Air Max . A strong fastball. A big, bending curveball that can buckle hitters at the knees. Against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, Elias put the entire package together against one of the leagues strongest lineups. https://www.airmaxchina.us/. Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season. Clearance Air Max . -- Zach Johnson asked his short-iron approach on the par-4 18th to "Do something right, baby. Wholesale Air Max . Striker Dario Mandzukic scored the opener in the 22nd minute but was given a red card nine minutes later for a reckless tackle and left Croatia with 10 men for the remainder of the match.Defending champions England survived a final leg shoot-out with Spain to book their place in the second round of the World Cup of Darts. Scotland survive scare Thursdays opening night report from Frankfurt After Thursdays opening night victories for Netherlands and Scotland, it was the turn of Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis to take centre stage and with 18 world titles between them they were expected to make short work of their Spanish opponents.However, England fell behind early on when Antonio Alcinas, who played in Spains 2010 victory over England, pinned an early double to break the favourites throw at the first time of asking. Inspired by Taylor, England came back to break straight back and when Taylor nailed 128 they looked well set for victory but Spain were not to be outdone and matched their more illustrious opponents dart-for-dart to take the match to a deciding leg. Antonio Alcinas and Christo Reyes reflect on nearly causing a huge upset And it was to be Lewis who clinched victory but with three darts for double top he missed with the first two before sinking with his final chance.They put us under pressure from the start and they were brilliant, said Taylor. We were hitting doubles with our last darts and it was giving us a heart attack! Taylor and Lewis celebrate their deciding leg victory Theyve beaten us before and I knew they were confident of beating us again. I think it was a cracking game and its livened the tournament up a little bit - if Adrian had missed at the end there I think wed have gone out.Its a different format now with the Singles and Doubles games, and its a leveller. Sometimes Ive done well in the Singles and Adrians had a bad game or Adrians played well and Ive had a bad game, so well see what happens tomorrow.Up next for England will be China who beat Czech Republic 5-3 with an impressive display of finishing clinching a place in the second round for the first time in their history. World Cup of Darts - Friday Results Czech Rep 3-5 China Greece 2-5 Canada Rep Ireland 5-4 Hong Kong South Africa 1-5 Singapore N Ireland 5-2 Japan Wales 5-1 Finland England 5-4 Spain Austria Italy Fourth seeds Northern Ireland are tipped to do well and came through their first round meeting with Japan.dddddddddddd.Brendan Dolan and Daryl Gurney were kept in check by the Japanese early on but with the scores level at 2-2 it was the experience of the Northern Ireland that won out as they won each of the next three legs in 18 legs, wrapping up the match with a bullseye finish from Dolan.They face an intriguing all-Ireland clash after Mick McGowan crashed in a bull finish to pinch the deciding leg for the Republic of Ireland in their 5-4 win over Hong Kong having trailed 4-3. World Cup of Darts questions Who are the favourites? And who are the surprise packages? Wales also chalked up a win and arguably the performance of the night in Frankfurt, Gerwyn Price with a 150 check-out on his debut to wrap up a 5-1 win over Finland.Price is playing in his first World Cup alongside Welsh stalwart Mark Webster, who is playing with his fourth different partner in the event, and the duo were never in trouble.Their second round match promises to be a cracker against Canada who proved far too strong for Greece, veteran John Part was at his best alongside partner Ken McNeil as they rode out a mini-revival from their opponents who rallied to 3-2 having lost the opening three legs. In the end Canada came through for a 5-2 opening round victory. World Cup of Darts - Second Round Saturday Afternoon Belgium v Hungary N Ireland v Rep Ireland Wales v Canada Austria/Italy v Singapore Saturday Evening Scotland v Norway Australia v Denmark England v China Netherlands v Philippines In the nights other two matches, two-time quarter-finalists South Africa, including dancing Devon Petersen, whose trademark moves after his walk-on got the crowd on their feet, crashed out at the first hurdle.However South Africas doubling let them down badly and a ruthless Singapore took full advantage to record a 5-1 win a second round showdown with Austria who recorded the only whitewash of the opening round - eighth seeds Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriquez beat Italy 5-0 in the final match of the night.Second-round matches: England v China, Austria v Singapore, Wales v Canada, Northern Ireland v Ireland, Scotland v Norway, Belgium v Hungary, Australia v Denmark, Netherlands v Philippines.You can follow both second round sessions on Saturday live on Sky Sports 1 from 1pm and 7pm. Also See: Scotland survive scare World Cup questions Next Premier League player? Sky Live: World Cup of Darts ' ' '

HOUSTON -- Houston defensive end Antonio Smith apologized Monday for using the word "spying" about New England, but didnt exactly back down from the accusations he made after the Texans loss to the Patriots. On Sunday after Houstons 34-31 loss, Smith told reporters that the Texans had some new wrinkles in their defence and it was "miraculous" how the Patriots changed their offence to key on the defence. He said then: "Either teams are spying on us or scouting us. I dont know what it is." On Monday, he said that he thought reporters in Houston knew him well enough to know that he could be joking and still be curious about something like this at the same time. "Im sorry I said the word spying because of a prior engagement of them being caught spying before," he said. The NFL fined New England coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 and took away a first-round pick in the 2008 draft for videotaping New York Jets signals during a game on Sept. 9, 2007. Belichick said he thought that was allowed and apologized for what he said was a mistake in his interpretation of the rule prohibiting it. Belichick was asked on a conference call Monday morning if he saw Smiths comments. "Yeah, I saw them," he said. "I dont have any comment on them. I think thats a league matter." Houston coach Gary Kubiak also was questioned about what Smith said and refused to address them directly. "I have the utmost respect for their organization, their players, their coaches, their head coach and the standard that theyve been setting for a long, long time in this league," he said. "So ... they did a great job yesterday and have been doing it a long time." The loss extended Houstons franchise-record skid to 10 games. The Texans were up 17-7 at halftime before New England rallied for the win. Smith said Monday that he was surprised his comments caused such a stir and wondered why no one had a sense of humour about what he said. "Though it may be something I was curious about that kind of didnt seem right," he said. "Like how all of a sudden the change here? It wasnt a serious matter to where I was thinking: Aw man, theyre spying on us. Theyre cheating. Things like that to the point where it gets to a big story about me accusing them of cheating. Its me being me, being funny." Houston will try to end its skid Thursday night at Jacksonville. Discount NBA Jerseys . The struggling New Orleans Pelicans were simply overmatched. Crawford hit seven 3s on his way to 24 points, and the Clippers beat the Pelicans 123-110 on Monday night. "We understand what we do well. If we all do what we do well, well make our team stronger," Crawford said. Cheap NBA Jerseys . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/.com) - A pair of programs shooting for their 10th win of the season get together at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as the NC State Wolfpack tangle with 22nd-ranked West Virginia during the challenge round of the Gotham Classic. NBA Jerseys Store . If one fighter gases, he usually gets beat up pretty bad from that point on. Clearance NBA Jerseys .Mateo Kovacic and Andrea Ranocchia scored for Inter, which had goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to thank for several crucial saves.Its an important victory against a Chievo side which plays well, Mancini said.Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Carter-Williams scored 17 points with 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his fifth career triple-double, helping the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Luc Mbah a Moute paced the Sixers with 18 points, while Nerlens Noel contributed 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high six blocks in the win. The Sixers, who have won two straight home games since taking the first two at home last season, snapped their season-opening 17-game losing streak with a win over Minnesota on Dec. 3. The bottom line is that we played defense in the second half. Thats where it starts and stops with me, Sixers coach Brett Brown said. Kevin Martin had 19 points, Nikola Pekovic tallied 18 points with seven rebounds and Gorgui Dieng posted 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who looked to win two straight games for the first time this season. Philadelphia bridged the third and fourth quarters with an 11-0 run, as Hollis Thompsons layup gave the Sixers an 85-77. Minnesota went scoreless for the final two minutes of the third and did not register a point until Martin made a free throw 3:18 into the fourth. Wiggins then scored five straight points as part of a 7-0 buurst for the Timberwolves to cut the deficit to three with under seven minutes left.dddddddddddd Noel and Carter-Williams countered with successive layups as Philadelphia swept the season series. We turned the ball over a lot. We didnt show patience when we needed to, Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said. The two bottom feeders went back and forth in a high-scoring first half. Nether team had a lead larger than six over the first 24 minutes. The Sixers shot 62.2 percent from the floor in the first half, while the Timberwolves made 57.9 percent of their shots. Minnesota led 28-26 after the first quarter, but Carter-Williams raced through defenders with under five seconds remaining in the second quarter and made a layup just at the buzzer sounded to hand Philadelphia a 61-59 lead at the break. The game remained close in the third as the Sixers took a 78-77 lead into the fourth. Game Notes Philadelphias first half was its highest-scoring half of the season ... The Sixers are now 4-34 when allowing more than 90 points ... Thaddeus Young, selected 12th overall by Philadelphia in 2007, had 10 points in the loss ... Philadelphia scored 23 points off 21 turnovers ... There were 19 lead changes and 16 ties. ' ' '

Martin Brodeur is making his retirement official at a news conference in St. Louis this morning. Watch it live NOW on TSN.ca and TSN GO. The Blues announced on Tuesday that Brodeur would retire as an active player and join the Blues front office in a management role. The 42-year-old joined the Blues as a free agent on Dec. 2 and went 3-3-0 with the team. His final victory was a 3-0 shutout over Colorado on Dec. 29. The long-time New Jersey Devils star will leave the league with countless records, including most wins, shutouts, games played and minutes played. He was a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and won two Olympic gold medals. Discount NHL Jerseys . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Custom NHL Jerseys . "Im going to send Webbie a six-pack (of beer) tonight," she said. Webb wasnt sure that would help. "Ill probably drink one and go to sleep," the Australian veteran said. The two players set up a Sunday showdown between former HSBC champions after finishing off their third rounds with identical birdies over three of the last five holes Saturday to separate themselves slightly from the rest of the crowded leaderboard. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/. - Anthony Beauvillier had the winning goal in the third period as the Shawinigan Cataractes edged the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2-1 on Wednesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play. NHL Jerseys Sale . Crawford hit his slam off Pirates starter Edinson Volquez to give San Francisco a four run lead in the fourth and they never looked back. Brandon Belt had three runs batted in as well. Bumgarner pitched all nine innings and allowed just four hits. Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic . - Hitting was supposed to be the Pittsburgh Pirates weakness coming into the season yet they lead the major leagues in home runs through the first 16 games of the season.CALGARY - Terrell Draude had a goal and an assist and Mack Shields made 24 saves as the Calgary Hitmen blanked the Swift Current Broncos 7-0 on Friday night in Western Hockey League play.Vancouver Canucks prospect Jake Virtanen, Jake Bean, Kenton Helgesen, Chase Lang, Adam Tambellini and Radel Fazleev supplied the rest of the Hitmen (25-17-5) offence.Landon Bow started in goal for the Broncos (21-21-5) and gave up three goals on 13 shots in 20 minutes. Travis Child went the rest of the way making 25 saves.Both clubs went 0 for 5 on the power play.---WARRIORS 4 PATS 3 (OT)REGINA — Jack Rodewald scored 3:44 into overtime to lift Moose Jaw over the Pats.Jaimen Yakubowski, Axel Blomqvist and Torrin White also had goals for the Warriors (20-24-4).Taylor Cooper, Sam Steel and Pavel Padakin found the back of the net for Regina (26-16-5). The loss was the Pats fourth straight.---WHEAT KINGS 5 RAIDERS 1BRANDON, Man. — Tim McGauley struck twice — including once on the power play — as the No. 3 Wheat Kings cruised past Prince Albert.Tanner Kaspick and Rihards Bukarts also scored to help Brandon (34-9-4) jump out to a 3-0 lead. Reid Duke had the other goal for the Wheat Kings, who have now won five straight.Kris Schmidli replied midway through the second period for the Raiders (19-26-1).---GIANTS 3 HURRICANES 2LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Carter Popoff scored the eventual winner on the power play in the second period as Vancouver snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Hurricanes.Zane Jones and Alec Baer had goals in the first for the Giants (20-25-2).Tyler Wong struck twice for Lethbridge (10-28-6), which dropped its fifth straight.---TIGERS 5 COUGARS 2MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Cole Sanford had a pair of goals as the No. 7 Tigers scored three in the third period to beat Prince George.Markus Eisenschmid, Dryden Hunt and Trevor Cox also chipped in for Medicine Hat (32-12-2), which won its third straight game.ddddddddddddBrad Morrison and Aaron Boyd found the back of the net for the Cougars (20-27-2), who have lost eight in a row.Kyle Burroughs of the Tigers was given a major penalty for checking to the head and a game misconduct at 4:19 of the third.---WINTERHAWKS 4 CHIEFS 1PORTLAND, Ore. — Chase De Leo struck twice in the second period as the Winterhawks defeated Spokane for their third-straight win.Paul Bittner and Brendan De Jong also scored for Portland (26-19-3), which opened the game with four-straight goals.Nick Charif responded in the second period for the Chiefs (23-18-4) with a power-play goal.---AMERICANS 4 THUNDERBIRDS 0KENNEWICK, Wash. — Evan Sarthou kicked out 25 shots as the Americans blanked Seattle.Parker Bowles had a pair of power-play goals for Tri-City (23-22-2). Lucas Nickles and Beau McCue rounded out the attack.Taran Kozun made 20 saves for the Thunderbirds (22-18-5).---ROCKETS 5 SILVERTIPS 3KELOWNA, B.C. — Tyson Baillie scored two-of-three Rockets goals in the third period as they downed Everett.Tyrell Goulbourne, Rourke Chartier and Cole Linaker also chipped for No. 2 Kelowna (35-8-3). Edmonton Oilers prospect Leon Draisaitl added three assists.Ben Betker, Patrick Bajkov and Ivan Nikolishin had goals for the No. 10 Silvertips (30-13-4). The loss ends a six-game winning streak for Everett.---BLAZERS 4 ROYALS 3 (OT)VICTORIA — Ryan Rehill scored 1:25 into overtime as Kamloops edged the Royals for its fourth straight win.Quinn Benjafield struck twice in regulation for the Blazers (18-24-6), with Cole Ully adding the other.Matthew Phillips, Greg Chase and Alex Forsberg found the back of the net for Victoria (25-19-4). The Royals had a five-game winning streak snapped with the loss.--- ' ' '

(SportsNetwork.com) - Tuukka Rask had a first-hand look at how important Tim Thomas was to the Boston Bruins franchise. Rask and the Bruins will face their former teammate on Thursday night, when Thomas is expected to start for the Florida Panthers against visiting Boston. Thomas, a former ninth-round pick by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 draft, signed as a free agent with the Bruins in 2002 and made his NHL debut with the club that season, appearing in four games. He eventually became the No. 1 goaltender with the Bruins and went 196-121-45 in 378 regular-season games with the club. The 39-year-old also posted a postseason record of 29-21 in 50 games with the Bruins, logging a 2.07 goals against average and .933 save percentage. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2011 after helping lead Boston to its first Stanley Cup title since 1972. Thomas, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, played one more season with the Bruins before sitting out the lockout-shortened campaign. He became a free agent this past offseason and appeared in training camp with the Panthers on a professional tryout before signing a one-year deal just before the start of the season. Thomas has made three appearances with the Panthers, allowing nine goals on 60 shots faced. However, he has not played since exiting last Tuesdays game versus Philadelphia early with a groin injury. He is expected to play tonight, per Floridas official twitter account. "All those years shooting on him in practice and what not, I think itll be fun to finally shoot on him in a game and Im sure hes looking forward to it as well," said Bostons Milan Lucic. "Im sure hes happy to be back in the NHL playing and hes found a new home here in Florida." Thomas year off allowed Rask to grab hold of Bostons starting goaltender job after he spent the majority of his career backing up the former since being acquired from Toronto on June 24, 2006. Rask went 19-10-5 with a 9.29 GAA in 36 games last season, helping the Bruins get to the Stanley Cup Finals. "I never thought that we would play against each other. But Im glad that he made his comeback and proved people wrong again, and I hope he does well," said the 26-year-old Rask, who is 7-1-0 with a 0.86 GAA, .972 save percentage and three shutouts lifetime versus the Panthers. Boston will play three straight on the road after opening the season with four of five at home and lost for the second time in its past three games with Mondays 3-2 setback to Detroit. Loui Eriksson and Milan Lucic tallied for the Bruins, while Rask made 24 saves. "Were really struggling with our finish right now. The chances are there but goals are not coming easy," noted Bruins head coach Claude Julien. The Panthers, meanwhile, begin a six-game homestand and have lost five of seven to begin the season. They were last in action on Tuesday, a 4-3 setback to Nashville. Jonathan Huberdeau, Marcel Goc and Matt Gilroy netted goals in the loss, while Jacob Markstrom surrendered all four goals on 30 shots. "We did some good things tonight with our forecheck and creating turnovers," said Huberdeau. "We can look to build on that for our next game and get some of our mistakes straightened out." The Bruins won all three of their meetings with the Panthers a season ago, outscoring them 11-2. They have won nine of the last 11 encounters overall and six of the past seven in Florida. Yeezy 350 v2 2019 . Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event. Wholesale Yeezy 350 . Funny, they looked like longtime friends during Pittsburghs 5-1 demolition of Dallas on Tuesday night. Quick to the puck and even quicker to the net, the Penguins top line overwhelmed the suddenly struggling Stars as Pittsburgh bounced back from a dismal weekend sweep at the hands of Philadelphia by jumping on Dallas early. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/fake-yeezy...-wholesale.html. Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. Cheap Yeezy 350 v2 2019 .com) - Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was named the National League Player of the Month for April. Wholesale Yeezy 350 V3 . The Calgary Stampeders running back received the West Division nomination for the CFLs top individual award Thursday in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada and leagues eight head coaches.Barcelona produced another awe-inspiring display as they crushed lowly Getafe 6-0 in La Liga on Saturday afternoon to extend their unbeaten run to 37 games. Lionel Messi scored, set up three for the first time in a La Liga game and could even afford to miss a penalty as Luis Enriques men opened up an 11-point lead over nearest rivals Atletico Madrid in the title race with just nine games remaining, Real a further four points behind their city neighbours.Neymar struck twice, while Munir El Haddadi, Arda Turan and an own goal from Juan Rodriguez completed the rout as the reigning European champions warmed up nicely for the visit of Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, where they hold a 2-0 first-leg advantage. There was bad blood between the two clubs following the fixture at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez when Barca players coated the away dressing room with red paint on Halloween night, but it was Getafe who endured a nightmare opening 45 minutes.Juan Rodriguez turned home Jordi Albas left-foot cross for an unfortunate eighth-minute own goal to open up the floodgates.Lionel Messi then saw his spot-kick saved two minutes later after Neymar was bundled over in the box. Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita dived to his left to deny him. It was Barcelonas eighth miss from the penalty spot in the league this season. Messi supplied a hat-trick of assists However, that didnt deter the hosts as they swarmed forward in numbers and soon added a second through Munirـafter 20 minutes.ddddddddddddndres Iniestas defence-splitting pass found Messi, who teed up the 20-year-old striker for an easy header.Neymar then joined in the party just after the half-hour mark with a cool side-foot finish into the far corner from another Messi assist. Neymar bagged a brace in Barca rout The five-time World Player of the Year quickly made up for his penalty miss with a fabulous left-foot curling drive from the edge of the area four minutes before the break.And six minutes after the interval, Messi found space to slide a delicious pass through the eye of a needle for Neymar, who had time to take a touch before firing home his 20th La Liga goal of the season.They added a sixth just before the hour mark as Arda Turan scoring for second time in three matches with an unorthodox bicycle kick at the back post and Catalan giants then shut up shop for the remainder of the game. Messi collects the ball from the Getafe net after another Barcelona goal Victory was the hosts 13th straight win in the league, while the visitors are plummeting down the table with eight defeats in their last nine games now - leaving them hovering dangerously just over the drop zone.Watch Barcelonas trip to Villarreal on Sunday, March 20 on Sky Sports 3 HD from 2.55pm ' ' '