ST. LOUIS -- The Kansas City Royals waited a long time between wins. They had no problem waiting to put this one in the books. Jeff Francoeur and Eric Hosmer combined for three RBIs in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen and the Royals spoiled Michael Wachas almost spotless debut, snapping an eight-game losing streak with a rain-delayed 4-2 victory on Thursday night. "We talk about this streak, weve been in every game, weve been one hit away, and tonight we got the hit," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Those are games that can get you turned around. Hopefully, that will be the case." Hall of Famer George Bretts debut as interim batting coach was a success and the Royals avoided a four-game sweep despite totalling only four hits in a marathon delayed an hour before the first pitch and another 4 hours, 32 minutes not long after the Royals took the lead with the bases loaded and none out in the top of the ninth. It took 12 minutes to get the last six outs of a game that would have been a snappy 2 hours, 27 minutes without the rain. "To get a win and break the streak, hopefully well carry some momentum tomorrow night," Francoeur said. From a near capacity crowd of 43,916, a couple hundred fans at most were around when the game scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. CDT ended at 3:14 a.m. Umpire crew chief Joe West opted for patience and declined to invoke a rule clause in the final season meeting between teams that would have wiped out the top of the ninth and declared the Cardinals 2-1 winners. "I wasnt sure we were going to get that game in, and to lose in that fashion after coming back in the ninth inning wouldnt have been right," Yost said. "I credit Joe West for hanging in there. I credit their grounds crew for getting the field playable." Cardinals manager Mike Matheny and general manager John Mozeliak lobbied during the delay for an eight-inning St. Louis win. Matheny said the field was "bad." "And I thought our grounds crew did a tremendous job," Matheny added. "This comes down to one of my guys getting hurt, its a big deal. "Fortunately they got it to where we could play." West told pool reporter Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Cardinals did not express their frustration to him directly, made no statement and did not lodge a protest. The length of game created a bit of a hardship for that crew, set to work a Cubs day game on Friday. "We worry about that game when we get to that one," West said. "We had to worry about this game tonight." The Royals headed for a weekend series in Texas while the Cardinals are at home Friday night against the Giants. Matheny paid a hefty price for giving closer Edward Mujica a day off after earning four saves in four days. Francoeur homered on the second pitch from Mitchell Boggs, a curious choice to get the ball in the ninth given season-long woes that left him with a double-digit ERA and included a stint in the minors. Boggs (0-3) faced two batters, retired neither and was loudly booed by a near-sellout crowd forced into a second rain delay. He was demoted May 3 after a 12.66 ERA and 12 walks in 10 2-3 innings. He has allowed a run in three of four appearances since returning on May 19, and none of the first three outings came with the game on the line. Matheny said after the game that rookie set-up man Trevor Rosenthal also had been unavailable. Hosmer, who had one RBI the previous 10 games, bounced a bases-loaded double over a drawn-in infield off Victor Marte. The 21-year-old Wacha, who allowed a run on two hits in seven innings, was the third rookie to debut as a starter for the Cardinals and came close to matching John Gast and Tyler Lyons as first-game winners. Wacha retired the first 13 batters and set down the side in order every inning except the fifth, when Lorenzo Cain doubled with one out and scored on Elliott Johnsons single. Wacha made the Cardinals fastest jump from draft day to the majors in 25 years after getting picked in the first round last June. Louis Coleman (1-0) allowed a walk in 1 1-3 innings and Greg Holland finished for his eighth save in 10 chances and first since May 1. Hollands blown save on May 6 against the White Sox was his only other chance this month. Francoeur had been batting .156 in May and didnt start for the second straight game, entering in a double switch in the seventh. He ended the Royals 59-inning slump without a homer with his second of the season and first since April 10. Allen Craig and David Freese had two-out RBI singles in the first off Jeremy Guthrie to give the Cardinals the lead. They left the bases loaded in the second, wasting a single by Wacha in his first career at-bat, and stranded two in the fourth. Wacha had a chance to score from second on Carlos Beltrans hit, but the Cardinals didnt risk a play at the plate with the bases loaded, one out and the heart of the order coming up. Matt Holliday grounded into a force play at the plate and Craig grounded out to end the inning. NOTES: Wacha is the eighth rookie pitcher to suit up for St. Louis this year and seventh to play. Reliever Michael Blazek was optioned to the minors earlier in the day without appearing in a game. ... Shelby Miller (5-3, 2.02) opposes the Giants Matt Cain (4-2, 5.00) in the opener of a three-game series Friday. The Royals begin a three-game set at Texas with Wade Davis (3-4, 5.71) opposing Derek Holland (4-2, 2.97). ... Cardinals reliever Randy Choate was the winner Wednesday for his first decision since July 24, 2011, a span of 103 appearances. Its the third-longest streak in major league history. Josh Reaves Jersey . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. Rolando Blackman Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. https://www.cheapmavericks.com/883l-dwight-powell-jersey-mavericks.html . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Courtney Lee Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Yogi Ferrell Jersey .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Anthony Joshuas professional record could hardly be better -- but he believes he will only improve now Rob McCracken is his full-time head coach.The IBF world heavyweight champion will have McCracken in his corner for the first time in the paid ranks on Saturday when he makes a second title defence against Eric Molina at the Manchester Arena.Joshua has stopped all 17 opponents as a professional since winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics, when McCracken was his head coach as part of Team GB.McCracken will still combine his work training A.J. with Team GBs amateur boxing team in Sheffield and Tony Sims, who has coached Joshua so far in the pro ranks, will still be the lead second in the corner.The 48-year-old coach trained British super-middleweight Carl Froch to three reigns as world champion and Joshua hopes his experience will benefit him with bigger tests looming in 2017.Rob brings amounts of experience, Joshua told ESPN.You can tell by the people he brings in for sparring. He has been a mentor for so many years.Hes just a good geezer and it helps a lot having people in your corner that you can trust.He brings world championship-level experience and hes got a bag of fighters who want to work with him and connections.Hes just well respected and I like to work with people who have been in the game and know what Im going through rather than someone you can just hold. He has just been in the game so that speaks volumes to me.Thats why I dont go to press conferences running my mouth off, I try to conduct myself in the right way. Its because I haave a good mentor alongside me, hes a good asset.ddddddddddddoshua, who is from Finchley in north London, is being lined up to face Wladimir Klitschko in April, either at Wembley Stadium in London or the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.The winner of David Haye-Tony Bellew on March 4 is a possibility for a summer showdown for Joshua, or even rival world champion Deontay Wilder, the American who holds the WBC title.But Joshua is not allowing himself to be distracted from the task in hand, 34-year-old American Molina (25-3, 19 KOs), who was knocked out in the ninth round by Wilder in June last year.When I hear David Haye talking its like, Youre not really relevant right now, said Joshua.Everyone has their journey set out and I have mine set out, so Im not really worried about him because if I beat Molina, Ive got Klitschko.All fighters that come in are probably 10 percent better than what we have seen from them before because theres a chance they could become the champ.If I want to fight Haye, Ill fight Haye. Whether he beats Tony Bellew or not it doesnt matter because boxing is not just about who you beat, its about if it makes sense and if it makes sense Ill fight him. After his fight hell look at his situation and if he wants to come for me, no problem.Tyson Fury isnt contributing to the heavyweight division now so he cant really comment. I dont see anything wrong with the division, boxing is thriving, everything is on track. ' ' '

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Better late than never for the Australian womens eights rowing team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, even if theyll have to borrow a boat and oars.The Australian womens crew had disbanded after failing to qualify when a third placing at a regatta in Switzerland in late May left the team as first reserves for Rio.But they reassembled in Melbourne last weekend after the possibility of an Olympic call-up because of Russian athletes facing expulsion over doping.On Tuesday, world rowing federation FISA said Russian boats in four categories, including the womens eights, were being withdrawn following the strict anti-doping criteria announced by the International Olympic Committee after allegations of widespread doping and cover-ups in Russia.One of the Russian rowers in the womens eights -- Anastasia Karabelshchikova -- had served a previous doping ban.We all called in to a hotline and the head of Rowing Australia said `Its happening girls, pack your bags you are going to Rio, Alexandra Hagan, one of the members of the Australian team, said Wednesday. We all kind of screamed and cried and I cant quite remember what happened, but here we are, unbelievable.The Australian womens eight crew will arrive in Rio on Aug. 5 -- the day of the opening ceremony -- and just three days before their first heat.Theyll also have to race in an unfamiliar boat using borrowed oars because the one they used in Switzerland was shipped back to Australia and cant be sent to Brazil in time for the start of Olympic racing there. Authentic Custom Saints Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Wil Lutz Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/custom-john-carney-jersey-large-952e.html .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. Teddy Bridgewater Jersey . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. A. J. Klein Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists.BALTIMORE -- Its safe to say the media covering the Baltimore Orioles was more concerned about Chris Davis home-run dry spell than the slugger himself. After Davis hit his major league-leading 38th homer to give the Orioles a 4-3 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, someone asked him how happy he was to end a 10-game, long ball drought. "Oh, Im so happy," he said, quite sarcastically. "I can go home and sleep tonight. Just eat food again. I dont have to wake up every three hours and cry." Davis came in with a .205 batting average since the All-Star break and was without a homer since July 14. The sixth-inning drive off Lucas Harrell (5-11) was his first extra-base hit in seven games and gave Baltimore its first lead. "It was big because of when it happened," Davis said. Later, Davis acknowledged he was trying too hard and swinging at too many bad pitches. "Its not like I felt terrible," he said. "Ive been way too aggressive on balls out of the zone. ... That was my goal today, just to be a little more patient. It obviously paid off." J.J. Hardy hit a two-run single in the fourth inning to start Baltimores comeback from a three-run deficit. The Orioles got only three hits in winning for the second time in seven games. Wei-Yin Chen (6-3) allowed three runs, seven hits and a walk in 7 1-3 innings for his fourth straight win. The left-hander had a season-high nine strikeouts and threw a career-high 119 pitches. "To be honest with you, Im a little tired right now," he said through an interpreter. "This was the first time I threw that many in the U.S., but I definitely felt really strong and really good." Darren ODay got two outs in the eighth and Jim Johnson worked a perfect ninth for his 36th save. Jonathan Villar stole home and Robbie Grossman had a career-high three hits for the Astros, who are 2-9 since the break. Bud Norris was scratched as Houstons starting pitcher amid rumours he would be dealt before the non-waiver trade deadline of Wednesday at 4 p.m. "You have a guy that has attracted a lot of interest from other ballclubs," manager Bo Porter said before the game. "It just made more sense to not risk injury at this juncture of the conversation." Making his first start since July 5, Harrell gave up only two hits but issued fiive walks -- three of which turned into runs.dddddddddddd. In his defence, he found out he was starting early in the afternoon. "I felt like I made a lot of really close misses, pitching in and out to guys," he said. "Its just one of those things where even when guys are on base youve got to keep attacking. I nibbled a little bit, I didnt want to give up the runs. (But) you cant be walking guys like that. Any time a guy like me walks guys, because I dont strike out a lot, its going to be a long night." Chen retired the first seven batters he faced before running into trouble in the third. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Jose Altuve, who bounced a two-run single to left. With the bases full and two outs, Chen went to the stretch with his back toward Villar, who danced halfway down the baseline before breaking for home. He made it easily for a 3-0 lead. "For me it was easy," Villar said. "Because sometimes when the pitcher doesnt look at me, thats easy for me." Chen said, "That was embarrassing and thats a lesson I need to learn. I looked down and I had no clue he was going to home." Baltimore got two runs back in the fourth. After Harrell walked the bases loaded, Hardy got the Orioles first hit, a single up the middle. After Nick Markakis drew a leadoff walk in the sixth, Davis hit an opposite-field drive to left. "I got the ball down, and he hit the ball out," Harrell said. "It was just one of those things where I made a good pitch, and tip your hat to him. He is what he is because of who he is. He hits the ball like that a lot." NOTES: The game marked the return of Astros 3B coach Dave Trembley to Baltimore. Trembley managed the Orioles from June 2007 to June 2010. ... Houston is 0-7 in Baltimore after being swept in 2005 and 2008. ... The Astros recalled RHP Chia-Jen Lo from Double A Corpus Christi and purchased the contract of RHP Josh Zeid from Triple-A Oklahoma City. RHP Hector Ambriz was optioned to OKC. Zeid made his major league debut in the eighth inning and got two outs. ... Former Oriole Erik Bedard is scheduled to take the mound for the Astros on Wednesday night. Miguel Gonzalez, whos 5-0 at home, will start for Baltimore. ... Chen is 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his four starts since returning from the disabled list on July 10. ' ' '

After a day of traveling around in China, meeting and greeting the masses,?Golden State Warriors?guard Stephen Curry was in a good mood.Having seen my video of my game against New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis, the reigning two-time MVP suggested we use the court in Guangzhou, China -- where Under Armour had just finished a consumer event in front of 1,500 fans.He then offered to play a game.I feared it was H-O-R-S-E. Luckily, Curry knew that I stunk at basketball.The game took two minutes and somehow ... I beat him.I was shooting from the high-school 3-point line (the top of the key) and made one shot. Curry -- who shot 28 percent on shots beyond 35-feet last season -- had three attempts from half-court to best that, but he was off the mark on all three. Keldon Johnson Jersey . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. DeMarre Carroll Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. https://www.cheapspurs.com/496j-cincy-powell-jersey-spurs.html . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. George T. Johnson Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Swen Nater Jersey . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. After overcoming Port Adelaide in the opening game of Round 16, Hawthorn still remain a game clear of a group of three teams that includes Sydney, Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs after a fascinating weekend of AFL.Some key results shaped the top eight, with the Giants dropping their game to a reinvigorated Collingwood and West Coast winning their clash with North Melbourne to jump into fifth position and leave the Kangaroos slumping to just one win from their past six outings.Sydney travelled to Geelong in a game that lived up to its blockbuster billing, while the Suns and Lions played out a high-scoring contest before Gold Coast got the choccies.On Saturday night, the Bulldogs survived a fierce challenge from Richmond, before Melbourne knocked off two hoodoos in beating Fremantle and winning in Darwin.On Sunday, Adelaide got the job done comfortably against Carlton despite Dennis Armfields three long-range bombs in the second term.Essendon and St.Kilda played out a close one at Etihad with the Saints prevailing mainly due to the poor kicking of the Dons.HEROESCollingwoods big men:?Saturdays win against the Giants was a huge result for the Pies. Their pressure was immense across the ground and their impressive workrate culminated in a stunning performance - particularly after GWS started well, before the Magpies slammed on nine goals to two in the second term. Emerging ruckman Brodie Grundy fought back to get on top of Shane Mumford while Travis Cloke played his best game since returning from the VFL after two separate stints in the lower level. He and Jesse White combined for 22 marks and seven goals between them. It was a fantastic return to form for Cloke after such a trying season, with the veterans sticky hands and attack on the ball back on full display.Jack Grimes:?What a story of persistence. The former Demons skipper has been forced to ply his trade in the VFL all season before finally breaking into the senior side for the clash against Fremantle in Darwin. Grimes, in his 99th AFL game, collected 32 touches as well as eight tackles and was one of many dominant ball winners who allowed Melbourne to smash Freo in possessions (135 more disposals than the Dockers). Youve got to admire players who are seemingly down and out then have the resilience to fight their way back into a team and then perform. It was a fine all-round effort from Melbourne, with Max Gawn putting it on a platter to the mids, Jayden Hunt and Tom McDonald both providing plenty of bounce and rebound, and Jesse Hogan and Jack Watts thriving up forward.Sydneys younguns:?The Swans were staring at two consecutive loosses after going down to the Dogs at home and then travelling to Geelong to face the Dangerfield-inspired Cats.dddddddddddd As usual, the senior Swans lead by Dane Rampe fired but the clubs most inexperienced players stood up in a finals-like contest. Ruckman Sam Naismith, key defender Aliir Aliir, small forward Tom Papley and half-back Callum Mills all played with a poise and consistency that belied their ages. Sydneys ability to continually contend while simultaneously regenerating their list is incredible.VILLAINSReece Conca:?The Tiger was certainly stiff to get pinged for holding the ball late in Saturday nights ripping contest against the Bulldogs. He had no opportunity to get rid of the ball after being swamped straight after taking possession, but these things happen. However, players have to give the ball back quickly, and Conca didnt, which cost him a 50m penalty. Suddenly, a kick from outside 50 became a certain goal to star Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli. Conca had to be smarter than that, despite his disappointment about the tough decision. But full credit to the Dogs - Bontempelli and Jake Stringer set them alight to get their side across the line.Lin Jongs clandestine visit:?So, the out-of-contract Jong caught up with some Collingwood officials and had a look around the Magpies facilities during the mid-season bye. That sort of stuff happens all the time, but their problem was getting caught! In this era of freer player movement, people have every right to assess their options when it comes to their future. However, the visit to Collingwood HQ was just silly and misguided by Jong and his management - you dont need to enter the facilities at the Holden Centre to know they would be first-class.Missed mark-of-the-year opportunities:?Cyril Rioli launched above the converging pack against Port Adelaide and it was truly spectacular. The mark was paid by the controlling umpire but the central ump Chris Donlon ruled the footy had hit the ground upon his descent. It had - but a sense of theatre like Gary Ablett Snr. over Gary Pert in yesteryear may have been appropriate for one of the many highlights of the season. While we are on aerialists, Jeremy Howe had commentators and fans out of their seats when he catapulted high above the pack in the defensive 50 against GWS. But instead of trying to take the mark, he only spoiled the ball. As the most consistent high flyer in the game, Howe should know better than to ruin a moment like that. Take the mark, Jeremy! ' ' '

PHILADELPHIA -- Kris Jenkins already made the biggest basket in Villanova history, so he can be excused a bit that he was unaware he was so close to a career points milestone.Assigned to shoot free throws after Penn was whistled for a technical foul, Jenkins stood alone at the line and sank the first one for career point 999. He calmly made the second attempt and hit No. 1,000.Jenkins was mobbed by teammates and buried in confetti when his 3-pointer at the buzzer beat North Carolina for the national championship. For his little slice of Villanova history, Jenkins simply hustled back on defense.It doesnt mean much, he said.Coach Jay Wright was surprised as well after the game and gave Jenkins a hearty congratulatory slap on the back at the press conference table.With little fanfare or championship parades, the magic numbers keep piling up at Villanova.Jenkins hit six 3s and scored 22 points and No. 2 Villanova again flexed its Philly muscle at the famed Palestra and dominated Penn 82-57 on Tuesday night.Already the national champs, the Wildcats (7-0) proved its still the best in the Big 5. Villanova, Penn, La Salle, Saint Josephs and Temple have had its rivalry games intertwined in the fabric of Philadelphia sports for 61 years.No team has made the series their own like the Wildcats. They beat the Quakers (2-3) for the 14th straight time and settled in for another round-robin romp with its record 15th straight Big 5 victory.Wright downplayed the significance of the record.If were thinking about it, its not going to help us get better, he said.Get better? The Wildcats played about as well as they could against an underwhelmed Ivy League team, making 12 of 26 3s overall. They shot 60 percent from the floor in the first half and quickly squashed any thought Penn would become this weeks version of Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.I dont mean to slight their talent, but theres a lot more talented teams in the country; not a ton, but theres a good share, more length, more size, more speed, depth, skill, Penn coach Steve Donahue said. But theres no team that plays together, and that hard, in every aspect of the game.The Quakers won the opening tip, the students that packed the Palestra roared, they missed their first shot -- and Jenkins buried a 3 on the other end. Donte DiVincenzo hit a 3, so did Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart added one and the Wildcats led 40-22.Jenkins hit three of Villanovas seven 3-pointers in the first half to put this one away in a hurry. Hart, who had 12 points and nine assists, had his right hand wrapped in ice after the game. He may have jammed his thumb.DiVincenzo scored 13 points and Darryl Reynolds had 12 points and eight boards.Jackson Donahue led Penn with 12 points.BIG PICTURE:Penn: The Quakers never quit in front of a student section wearing red Beat Nova T-shirts. The Quakers could be contenders to make the first Ivy League tournament in Donahues second season.Donahue didnt think Villanovas city dominance crippled overall enthusiasm for the Big 5.I think it motivates and inspires the other four programs, he said. If we won tonight, I dont know wed be saying that. All these games, I think its incredible. Im proud to be part of the Big 5 and have a national champion in our (city). I think it elevates all of us.Villanova: The Wildcats won their eighth straight game over Penn at the Palestra. The Wildcats are the first reigning NCAA champions to play at the famed basketball gym on the Penn campus since, well, Villanova on Jan. 27, 1986. The Wildcats play two more games against Philly teams before a Dec. 10 game against Notre Dame that could prove their next toughest test.POLL IMPLICATIONSVillanova should stay at No. 2 in the Top 25.NO HARTWright has never been shy about sitting starters for the slightest rules infractions. He benched Hart, the preseason Big East player of the year, for the start of his one because he was tardy to a workout session. DiVincenzo started for Hart.UP NEXTPenn: The Quakers face another tough city rival Saturday at Temple.Villanova: The Wildcats try and keep their Big 5 winning streak rolling Saturday at Saint Josephs.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 Trey Lyles Jersey . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. LaMarcus Aldridge Jersey . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. https://www.cheapspurs.com/956j-louie-dampier-jersey-spurs.html . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. San Antonio Spurs Store . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Coby Dietrick Jersey . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. With the four teams from North America going to the Rocket League Championship Series Live Finals LAN decided, its time to have the ultimate playoff to decide the seeding for the main event. Both North America and Europe will each have a single-elimination Regional Championship tournament among the top four teams of each region for a purse of $25,000. When the dust settles, these could be the matches that decides who gets closest to the $125,000 prize pool in Amsterdam.Heres how North Americas best stacks up on Nov. 12.Match 1: Orbit vs. Take 3While these are two very good teams, this matchup could be extremely one-sided. Orbit has looked very good recently and come in as the regular season number-one seed from North America. Take 3, on the other hand, qualified through the Regional Playoffs coming in as the bottom seed, beating a surging Vendetta 3-2 in the final qualification match.If Take 3 is to have a real chance of taking down Orbit it will need to come out swinging early, banking on the fact that Orbit hasnt played in RLCS in two weeks. The biggest issue for Take 3 will be the lack of offensive pressure leading to goals over the last three weeks. Take 3 seems to be missing that last bit of scoring lethality it needs to really become a world top contender.Overall these two teams should be separated by a fair margin, Orbit should win comfortabbly but as its the first match of the day and both teams come in fresh anything could happen.dddddddddddd Take 3 will have a slim chance if it takes game one and can control the series; if not, this could be a very quick show.Prediction: Orbit 3-1 Take 3Match 2: NRG vs. GenesisThis should be a very close set. NRG, the number two team from regular season and one of the stalwart top teams of North American Rocket League, is coming up against Genesis, the longtime bronze medalists of North America. Expect a back and forth with two of the most consistent teams in the world. NRG should have a small edge here, as it has forever been one better than Genesis, yet if ever there were a time for an upset it would be now. Genesis qualified over Vendetta -- who came so close twice to qualifying -- and looked to be really coming together with its passing plays and team coordination.This match will probably go to five games and every single one of them should be close. If NRG can keep the form that had them finish second best in the regular season, expect it to walk out as the winners and at least a top two seed at the grand finals. This match could go either way but NRG will have the edge to see it through.Prediction: NRG 3-2 Genesis ' ' '

UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis has drawn his first headliner opportunity opposite?Shamil Abdurakhimov?on Dec. 9 in Albany, New York.Officials have announced the heavyweight bout as the main event of UFC Fight Night at Times Union Center.Lewis (16-4) has been trending in the direction of a high-profile fight all year. The 31-year-old is now 7-2 overall in the UFC, including a 3-0 mark in 2016. He is coming off a split-decision win over Roy Nelson in July.Fighting out of Houston, Lewis has steadily gained fan support, thanks in large part to his style. The hard-hitting heavyweight has finished six of his seven UFC wins by knockout, including four in the first round.Abdurakhimov (17-3), of Dagestan, south of Russia, is fresh off a split decision over Walt Harris on Oct. 1 in Portland, Oregon. He is 2-1 since signing with the UFC last year.The televised UFC Fight Night event will be held less than one month after UFC 205, the promotions blockbuster card at Madison Square Garden. The UFC has not held an event in New York since 1995, because of a ban on professional mixed martial arts that lasted from 1997 until earlier this year. Cheap Shoes . LUCIE, Fla. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. Cheap Shoes Replica . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Cheap Shoes From China . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Indias Yogeshwar Dutt has asked wrestling authorities to let the London Olympics 60kg wrestling silver medal remain with the family of the deceased Russian wrestler Besik Kudukhov, who had been stripped of the medal following a positive dope test.On Tuesday, Kudukhovs silver was formally awarded to Yogeshwar, who had lost to the Russian in the quarterfinals. Kudukhov, a four-time world champion, died in a car crash in 2013. He failed a World Anti-Doping Agency dope test conducted on his sample from 2012 before the Rio Games.Medal jaane se unke parivaar ko takleef hogi 100% (Kudukhovs family would be pained for sure when the medal is taken away from them), Yogeshwar told ESPN. For his mother and father, that medal contains memories of their child and that is all they have left with them today.The news about the upgrade to the London silver, rather than bring him any satisfaction, Yogeshwar said, had kept him awake at night.I had heard about his death in 2013 and if Kudukhov was alive it was a different thing but he is no more, he said. Yesterday I thought about his parents and his family. We cant do anything for them who today only have his memories with them. Failed ho ya kuch bhi ho, yeh woh medal usi ke paas rahe. Yaadein hi hai uski, uski family ke paas?(Whether he failed his dope test or not, that medal should stay with his family. That medal contains special memories for his family, that is all they have of him.) I would not like that medal or anything taken away from his family through which they remember him. Usko soch ke laga ki yeh theeek rahega?(When I thought about it I felt this would be best).ddddddddddddhen Yogeshwar was informed about his upgrade from a bronze to a silver medal, he said: Mere ko khushi nahi hui (It brought me no happiness). I have my bronze medal with me. Ab koi farak nahin padta kya hai, kya nahi hai (It doesnt matter now what is with you and what is not).The wrestler, who is currently based in Madhuban with the Haryana Police, said he had not been able to recover from his disappointment over Rio. Ive still not been able to work out what happened there and I know I could not fulfil what I had set out to do, he said.Earlier in the day, Yogeshwar offered to forgo his silver through Twitter.Besik Kudukhov ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? dope test ??? fail ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ????- Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) 31 August 2016Translation: Besik Kudukhov was a magnificent wrestler. His dope test returning positive after his death is very sad. I respect him as a sportsman.??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ??????????? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ???????? ???- Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) 31 August 2016Translation: If possible this medal should remain with him. It will also be respectful to his family. For me human compassion is above all else.Yogeshwar had bowed out in the first round of mens 65kg freestyle at the recently concluded Rio Olympic Games. ' ' '

The Columbus Blue Jackets have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent forward Nathan Horton on a seven-year contract, $37.1 million deal. The deal has an average annual value of $5.3 million per season. The 28-year-old Welland, Ont. native spent the last three seasons of his nine-year NHL career with the Boston Bruins. In 2012-13, Horton scored 13 goals and nine assists in 43 games. He also added eight goals and 17 points in 22 playoff games helping the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final. For his career, Horton has appeared in 591 NHL games, tallying 198 goals and 402 points. He was drafted third overall by the Florida Panthers and spent the first six years of his career with the team. He was traded to Boston in 2010 and won the Stanley Cup in his first season with the Bruins. Horton earned $5.5 million in 2012-13, the last year of a six-year deal that carried a cap hit of $4 million. Cheap Shoes Discount . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Cheap Shoes Replica . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. Cheap Shoes .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Cheap Shoes Wholesale . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Riley Ferguson threw six touchdown passes to six different receivers and ran for a seventh -- all in the first half -- tying a school record for most touchdowns responsible for and Memphis drubbed Bowling Green, 77-3 in a non-conference game Saturday night.Ferguson, who walked away from a scholarship at Tennessee and spent the 2014 season out of college football, threw his first touchdown pass less than two minutes in, finding Daniel Montiei from 19-yards out and added scoring throws of 40-, 43- and 21-yards in the final 4:38 of the first quarter.ddddddddddddess than three minutes into the second Ferguson plunged in from the 1, then fired 60- and 31-yards for touchdowns before intermission.Ferguson finished 20 of 27 for 359 yards for Memphis (3-0).Three Bowling Green quarterbacks combined to pass for 203 yards, but the Falcons (1-3) were limited to just 91 yards rushing on 28 carries. ' ' '

LONDON -- Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard were rewarded for breaking back into the Manchester United team by getting call-ups to Gareth Southgates first England squad since he took over as coach from Sam Allardyce.There were also recalls for fullback Glen Johnson and winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after long absences when the squad was announced on Sunday.Southgate is in temporary charge of the England team after Allardyces contract was terminated Tuesday after just one game and 67 days in the position. A British newspaper investigation showed Allardyce appearing to offer advice to fictitious businessmen on how to sidestep an outlawed player transfer practice, and also negotiating a 400,000 pound ($519,000) public-speaking contract.Southgate takes the reins for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Malta at home and Slovenia away, as well as further games against Scotland and Spain. England started the World Cup qualifying campaign by beating Slovakia 1-0 away.Its obviously been a difficult week in a number of ways, Southgate said. However, we are in a position now where its important to get the squad named. Im looking forward now to working with the players because its important that we build on the performance and the result against Slovakia.Teenage striker Rashford, a member of the squad at the European Championship in June, returns to the senior squad after scoring a hat trick last month on his debut for Englands under 21s -- coached by Southgate. Lingard, a winger, is uncapped but has started for United in recent games.Southgate described the United men as exciting young players.Johnson last played for England at the 2014 World Cup and Oxlade-Chamberlain is back after a years absence.Southgate was without goalkeeper Jack Butland, defender Nathaniel Clyne, midfielder Adam Lallana and striker Harry Kane, who are all injured.---England squad:Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Torino, loan from Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley).Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Stoke), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham).Midfielders: Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Michail Antonio (West Ham), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Dele Alli (Tottenham).Strikers: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United),?Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester) Keita Bates-Diop Jersey . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Jordan McLaughlin Jersey . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/530j-ricky-rubio-jersey-timberwolves.html . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Derrick Rose Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. The Bryan and Daniel Guy training partnership is hoping lightning can strike twice with the promising Starcourt.The gelding will be having his second start for the Guy stable in the Colts and Geldings Three-Year-Old (1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.At his first start for the Guys two weeks ago Starcourt was an impressive second to promising Savana Amour in fast time at Doomben.Starcourt was originally trained by Gary Moore in Sydney and had one start for him when third at Hawkesbury in February.After that run it was decided he would be better placed in Queensland and Starcourt has bloomed since moving north.He won a Gold Coast trial last month and then was very good first-up when he showed pace and fought on well, Bryan Guy said.He will be fitter for that run on Saturday and he has a good barrier.ddddddddddddMoore was also the original trainer of Eagle Way who was sent to Guy and went on to win the Group One Queensland Derby in June.Eagle Way is now in Hong Kong with trainer John Moore but the Guys are hopeful Starcourt can go some way to filling the void.It would be a bit much that lightning would strike twice. But you can only hope, Bryan Guy said.Starcourt cost $300,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions sales but was not paid up for the Millions series.I hope we can win a few races to get his prize money up and then get a wild card into the Millions day, Guy said. ' ' '

A pair of bouts have been added to UFC 206 in Toronto, including a pivotal meeting between exciting featherweights, the UFC announced Wednesday.Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (19-5) takes on the red-hot Max Holloway (16-3) in a 145-pound showdown. In addition,cUFC 206 takes place on Dec. 10 at Air Canada Centre, headlined by a light heavyweight title rematch between defending champion Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson.Pettis, 29, looks for his second straight win at featherweight after moving down in weight to dominate Charles Oliveira by third-round submission in his August debut. The victory snapped a three-fight losing skid at lightweight which began with his title loss to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2015.Holloway, 24, will put his nine-fight winning streak on the line as he looks to close in on an elusive title shot. The native of Hawaii hasnt lost since dropping a decision to Conor McGregor in April 2013 and enters the bout as the No. 3-ranked featherweight by ESPN.com. He has run off a string of impressive wins over the past year against the likes of Jeremy Stephens, Oliveira and Cub Swanson, including an all-action decision win over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 in June.Gagnon (12-3) returns to his native Ontario for his first appearance in the Octagon since a 2014 submission loss to Renan Barao and a knee injury that followed. He takes on Lopez (8-1), who dropped his UFC debut in July via third-round submission to Rani Yahya. Chad Green Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Paul ONeill Jersey Large . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-whitey-ford-jersey-large-1224i.html . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Custom Joe DiMaggio Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Roger Clemens Jersey . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1.ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - Jose Reyes will return to the Blue Jays, on Wednesday, in time for the finale of a three-game series against the Rays. Reyes, 30, badly sprained his left ankle making an awkward slide into second base in an April 12 game at Kansas City. Tuesdays game versus Tampa Bay will mark the 66th Reyes has missed due to the injury. Acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Marlins last November 19, the shortstop had a slash line of .395/..dddddddddddd.465/.526 through 10 games. Reyes is considered one of baseballs best leadoff hitters. The Blue Jays will wait until Wednesday to make a corresponding roster move. The 40-man roster is full, meaning a player will have to be removed to make room for Reyes. Including Mondays 4-1 loss to Rays, which snapped a franchise record-tying 11-game win streak, and with Tuesdays result pending, the Blue Jays are 34-31 in Reyes absence. ' ' '

Birmingham, Ala. - Southeastern Conference teams now include a new uniform patch which recognizes student-athletes who have earned their undergraduate college degree.For SEC student-athletes who have already earned their degree, but have not exhausted their eligibility, the SEC logo patch on their uniforms is being replaced with a special patch with the word Graduate underneath the conference logo.The concept of Scholars, Champions and Leaders is a vision for comprehensive success across the SEC and our SEC Graduate patch now recognizes the student-athletes in our league who have achieved the goal of graduation, said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. This patch appropriately celebrates academic accomplishment in the athletic arena. My congratulations to those student-athletes who have earned this honor.The SEC has an existing patch program in place in all conference sports that makes the SEC mark prominent on uniforms. The graduate patch will replace the existing patch when a student-athlete earns his or her degree.The SEC Graduate patch was first worn by the Arkansas football team during the Razorbacks opening game on September 3 and is being introduced by other SEC members throughout the fall semester.The patch is similar in design for all conference schools, but it is school-specific in color. Moving forward, it will be worn by any SEC student-athlete upon his or her first competition following the graduation ceremony at which their degree is awarded, and throughout the remainder of their college eligibility.? Javorius Allen Jersey . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Jonathan Ogden Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom-b-j-sams-jersey-large-123d.html . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Todd Heap Jersey . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Patrick Ricard Jersey . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons.Leicester City captain Wes Morgan said he fought back tears as he lifted the Premier League trophy. The defender lifted the trophy alongside manager Claudio Ranieri after Leicester completed an fittingly emphatic 3-1 victory over Everton at the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening. Speaking to Saturday Night Football, Morgan said the experience would stay with him for life. Im emotionally drained. Its an unbelievable feeling to finally get my hands on the trophy, he said.Walking up to the podium I got emotional, I had to hold back tears. I held them back and finally got my hands on it, lifted it and its the best feeling in the world.Everyone has been going on about how am I going to lift it? Is it heavy? Dont drop it. I was under a bit of pressure to be fair! Theres no better feeling than knowing youre champions of England. Its something you remember for the rest of your life. Morgan and Ranieri lifted the trophy amid ecstatic scenes at the King Power Stadium The title is the first Leicester have won in the top division of English football in their 132-year history and Morgan, who won promotion to the Premier League with the Foxes in 2014, urged the team to hit the ground running next season. Hopefully we can crack on from here. Its a big, big season next season but well see what happens.dddddddddddd Right now I just want to enjoy the moment, the Jamaica international added. Wes Morgan and Claudio Ranieri lift the Premier League trophy Leicester were crowned champions on Monday after Chelsea came from two goals down to draw 2-2 against second placed Tottenham, ending Spurs title hopes. Morgan told Sky Sports the following week was the best of his life.He said: Its been unbelievable. The best, best, best time of my life. Its hard to describe, I cant put it into words. Its like a dream but now its reality. I just want to enjoy every minute of it.The Foxes escaped relegation last season under Nigel Pearson after stringing together an impressive run of results at the end of the campaign. They were 5,000/1 no-hopers with the bookmakers at the beginning of this season but Morgan said his team-mates believed they could surprise their doubters. Leicester received the trophy after a 3-1 win over Everton I think weve always believed, its been the people around us that werent really convinced that we could do it. But we knew our capabilities, we played all the other teams and knew on our day we were as good if not better than all the other teams, he said.Its just performing week in week out, concentrating, ignoring whats going on around us and just doing our job. Its just the togetherness of the boys, we are such a tight group of guys, we do everything together and theres no ego in our team. No ones above their station.The Champions League bandwagon rolls into Leicester next season and Morgan said he is relishing the chance to play against Europes elite. I dont know what it feels like but Im going to enjoy it, he said. Also See: Leicester video Leicester stats Leicester stats Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin badgered Akron. Michigan manhandled Central Florida. Iowa overwhelmed Iowa State.With Big Ten play looming in a couple weeks, the conferences top teams took advantage of what on paper at least looked like weaker Week 2 opponents.These wins are by no means automatic for power conference schools. Just ask Oklahoma State .Clemson and Georgia had some nervous moments, too.These are limited opportunities you get, and I think youve got to learn to appreciate each opportunity, Wisconsin coach Paul Chyrst said Saturday. All weve got to focus on is ourselves and maximize each opportunity.Chryst had his team focused and ready. The Badgers led 30-10 at halftime on the way to a 44-point rout of the Zips.Ohio State got off to what would be considered a sluggish start for the Buckeyes in a 48-3 win over Tulsa. Ohio State didnt score an offensive touchdown until quarterback J.T. Barrett rushed in for a score with 9:42 left in the third quarter.But good teams pick up each other, coach Urban Meyer said.The Buckeyes defense is in midseason form after intercepting four passes, including pick-sixes.Week 3 promises to be a bit more challenging for the Buckeyes, who will face Oklahoma and quarterback Baker Mayfield on the road.Obviously, the challenge will come next week against a very good team, and were going to jump on that one early and get ready to go Meyer said.Wisconsin has already passed its big nonconference test after defeating then-No. 5 LSU at Lambeau Field in the season opener. So for the Badgers, the two weeks between the Tigers and their Big Ten opener on Sept. 24 against Michigan State are about building momentum and keeping a chip on their collective shoulders.Chrysts club has gone from unranked in the polls to a Top 10 team thanks to the win over LSU.We didnt want to show that we were too excited and thinking about (LSU) ... We wanted to go and move on to Akron, and were going to do the same thing next week here, Wisconsin outside linebacker T.J. Watt said.Ohio State moved up one spot to No. 3 in AP Top 25 poll released Sunday. Wisconsin moved up a spot to ninth. The Badgers play winless Georgia State in Week 3.Also among the Big Tens ranked and unbeaten teams:MICHIGAN: Moved up one spot to fourth after trouncing Central Florida . Colorado, also 2-0, might provide a little bit more of a challenge in the Big House on Sept. 17.MICHIGAN STATE: Stayed at No. 12 after an early bye week. They probably appreciated the break with a trip to No. 18 Notre Dame coming up on Sept. 17.IOWA: Moved up three spots to 13th after beating the in-state rival Cyclones . FCS school North Dakota State visits Kinnick Stadium next week.At the beginning of the week our focus was just on having a relentless week of preparation, starting with our concentration and execution on both sides of the ball and special teams, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. The goal there is to improve, and thats something were trying to do on a weekly basis.---Online: AP College Football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org/---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP Air Max 270 Pas Cher Chine . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Air Max France Pas Cher . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. http://www.airmaxpaschervente.fr/destockage-vapormax-france.html . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. Fausse Air Force 1 Pas Cher . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Yeezy 350 Acheter . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. As 2016 rapidly comes to a close, lets take a look at a few highlights (and lowlights) of the year and then a peek at what the new year might have in store.1. Remembering The King. No look at 2016 should start without thanking Arnold Palmer for what he did, not only for the game of golf, but for putting golf on the map of sports business. Being in the ESPN studios on Sept. 26, the morning after Arnold passed, was one of the hardest, but also happiest times Ive had in TV.It was a morning of remembering the easy laughter of a friend while at the same time knowing golf would never be the same without that easy laughter. Arnie simply loved golf and loved people, and they loved him right back.2. The United States won the Ryder Cup against Europe, 17-11, for the first time since 2008. The Americans were buoyed by victories in seven of 12 Sunday singles matches. The win re-energized an event that was beginning to lose a bit of its luster due to the recent European domination.3. Four different major winners in mens golf. The year was highlighted by the battle between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at The Open, one that Jack Nicklaus deemed to be even better than the Duel in the Sun between him and Tom Watson at Turnberry in 77.The lowlight came with the controversial ruling involving Dustin Johnson, the eventual champion, during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Thankfully, due to a local rule change issued earlier this month by the USGA and R&A, such accidental movement of a golf ball will no longer result in a penalty. It was a long overdue dose of common sense, especially when green speeds are crazy fast.4. Time to show some love for Bernhard Langer. The 59-year-old German is simply a golfing machine. For the third time in six years, he won the year-end race for the Charles Schwab Cup and also earned nearly twice as much money (more than $3 million) than his closest pursuer, Colin Montgomerie.5. Lets show some love for Thailands?Ariya Jutanugarn, too. A year ago she missed 10 straight cuts on the LPGA Tour and now is a five-time winner, including a major championship and is player of the year. Amazing what playing with joy instead of fear can do.6. Lydia Kos housecleaning. Caddie Jason Hamilton was the first to get a pink slip, but then about a month later, David Leadbetter and Sean Hogan were also dismissed. Im not going to judge the personalities involved, but I will always be critical of over-involved parents/spouses as well as students and teachers who dont arrive at tournaments with their preparation complete.Tournament time is when you put your work on auto pilot and play golf, not try to reinvent the wheel with a teacher stuck to you like cellophane. Leadbetter (and hes not alone in this) constantly shows up at the biggest events and is over-involved with the student, not just applying a bit of polish and a pop of confidence. I also found this particular case fascinating because Hogan was Lydias day-to-day coach, not Leadbetter. But when the biggest events rolled around, Leadbetter was the one present.Advice to Lyddia: Take ownership of everything in your life and do your preparation in the quiet of your home, not in the public eye.ddddddddddddAs we are just under three weeks until the PGA Tour season resumes in Hawaii, lets look ahead to the New Year.1. Tiger returns. Although his first event back in more than a year wasnt exactly a home run, it did have many positives. Woods played four rounds without any apparent physical setbacks, got the competitive juices flowing again and into the routine of tournament golf, plus made 24 birdies, best in the field.On the flip side, he continued to show signs of the chipping/pitching yips that surfaced in 2015 and the two-way miss was still problematic. It was also an extremely limited field. Well see how that plays out when he is in full-field events, perhaps as soon as Torrey Pines in late January, where he has won eight times. He has committed to playing in February at Riviera in Los Angeles, where he made his first PGA Tour event as a 16-year-old, an event now benefiting his foundation.2. Jay Monahan takes over as PGA Tour commissioner. Tim Finchem did an incredible job in more than two decades as commissioner, but Im excited to see the influence and direction under Monahan. New ideas already seem to be flowing and coming to fruition with a big change at the New Orleans PGA Tour stop (a team format), talk of schedule changes that would see the season end closer to Labor Day and before football really gets cranking, as well as rumblings of a possible LPGA/PGA Tour mixed event.3. LPGA changes. Speaking of the LPGA, big things are happening in 2017, including Lorena Ochoas event moving earlier in the year with a match-play format and expanded field, this weeks announcement of the Senior LPGA Championship (81 players, no cut, Monday-Wednesday televised event) and the Solheim Cup in August in Des Moines, Iowa.The positive growth of the tour under Mike Whan continues, but he still needs a boost from Americans winning to grow the tour even more. Only two American victories in 2016 are not going to get it done.4. The return of injured players. That includes world No. 1 Jason Day, No. 15 Justin Rose and Masters champion Danny Willett. While Rose withdrew after one round of the Hero World Challenge, both he and Willett posted 72 hole scores last week in Hong Kong on the European Tour, with Willett finishing in the top 10. Good signs for sure.5. Equipment changes. Rumors are that the USGA will begin limiting the length of drivers, rolling back the maximum from 48 inches to 46.5 inches. Wouldnt it be easier to just admit the golf ball that has rendered so many classic courses around the world irrelevant is the biggest issue and roll that back instead of the length of the driver? There goes that uncommon common sense again.Thanks to all of you for spending your time with us on the golf page at ESPN.com again this year and best wishes for a happy, healthy and blessed holiday season. ' ' '

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Tanner Gueller passed for a career-best 338 yards and three touchdowns to help Idaho State beat Division II Simon Fraser 47-3 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.KW Williams had four receptions for 121 yards and a career-high tying two touchdowns and Jakori Ford added 68 yards rushing and a score for Idaho State.Gueller hit Williams with scoring strikes of 37 and 63 yards -- the former gave the Bengals a 7-0 lead fewer than 2 1/2 minutes in and the latter made it 33-0 lead early in the second half.Idaho State had 29 first downs and 543 total yards and limited the Clan to minus-22 yards rushing. The Bengals had a school-record 770 total yards in a 66-14 win over Simon Fraser in 2014.The Clan has lost 14 in row since beating South Dakota School of Mines on Oct. 18, 2014. Avalanche Jerseys China . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. Colorado Avalanche Pro Shop . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Cheap Avalanche Jerseys . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Colorado Avalanche Gear . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed.Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has been signed off with stress and has not been seen at the clubs training ground for nearly a week, Sky sources understand. The 34-year-old returned to Rangers last Thursday after a club-imposed suspension in the wake of a training ground bust-up in September. But despite Rangers saying appropriate training arrangements would be made for him as long as he remains a Rangers player, he lasted just one day before receiving a sick-note from his doctor. The former England international was initially suspended for three weeks, before that was extended by club bosses. Sky Sports News HQ understands he was instructed to train with the youth team, away from the other first-team squad members.dddddddddddd Barton in action for Rangers against Celtic Barton has played only eight games for the Ibrox side since signing a two-year contract in May. Manager Mark Warburton has not selected him since the 5-1 defeat to Celtic two months ago. Also See: Barton arrives for training Rangers held by County Warburton slams Gers No hurry to spend ' ' '

Inspiring burns survivor Turia Pitt has finished her debut Hawaiian Ironman triathlon.The 29-year-old Australian completed the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon run event in 14 hours 37 minutes 30 seconds, finishing after dark on Sunday (AEDT) at the town of Kailua-Kona.It is five years and 200 operations since Pitt suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body in a WA bushfire.Pitt was competing in an ultramarathon when the fire nearly killed her.Severe injuries to her hands mean Pitt has custom-made gear and brake levers on her bike.The burns have left Pitt unable to regulate her body temperature.So she wore special race clothing to cope with the severe heat and humidity that are features of the Hawaiian Ironman.This is Pitts second Ironman-distance triathlon finish, following the Ironman Australia race in May at Port Macquarie.Hawaii featured a record 2300 starters this year.German Jan Frodeno won the mens professional race in eight hours six minutes, while age groupers had 17 hours to finish. Robin Lehner Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Doug Gilmour Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/1467b-steve-larmer-jersey-blackhawks.html . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Brent Seabrook Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Al Rollins Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- If only Syracuse had the Pearl -- on the court instead of in their hearts.On a day the Orange paid tribute to the late Dwayne Pearl Washington, L.J. Peak and Rodney Pryor put a damper on the day, combining for 43 points as Georgetown held off Syracuse 78-71 on Saturday.Peak had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Pryor added 20 points to key the victory in the renewal of a once-fierce Big East rivalry, which Washington was a big part of.Whenever Georgetown wins in the Carrier Dome, its a big win for the program, Hoyas coach John Thompson III said. This rivalry, these two institutions, when you think about the Big East you think about Pearl, Patrick (Ewing) and Chris Mullin. When you come up here and its Pearl weekend, its like they need some extra incentive? Without a doubt, hes one of the pillars of the Big East.Syracuse (6-4), which has struggled to form any kind of consistency so far this season, didnt find much again. Tyler Lydon was the bright spot with a career-high 29 points, missing only 1 of 13 shots, but where Washington once worked his magic, the Orange guards continued to struggle.John Gillon had 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting in his first start of the season and Frank Howard had four points, four assists and a game-high six turnovers. Andrew White, who has started in the backcourt six times this season, had 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 40 minutes.Were just not playing well at the guard spot I dont think at all, Orange coach Jim Boeheim said. Were making too many mistakes. Were not getting the ball in the basket from the guard spot. We havent in any of our four losses and weve got to play better there.Georgetown (7-4) has won five straight, the first four coming against teams from the lower echelons of Division I.The Hoyas matched the largest lead of the game when Jonathan Mullmore drained a 3 to give Georgetown a 67-60 lead with 2:36 left. The Hoyas hung on at the end after Lydons follow slam and baseline hook moved the Orange within 69-66 with 64 seconds left.Georgetown has lived at the free-throw line this year and that helped the Hoyas survive this one. They were 22 of 25 from the line, nine coming in the final 38 seconds, while the Orange was 14 of 25.It was Pearl Washington Day inside the Carrier Dome and the former Syracuse star, who died in April of cancer at age 52, was celebrated on a snowy, wintry day. Syracuse University is establishing the Pearl Washington Endowed Fund for Continuing Education and set a $1 million endowment goal. The fund wiill support student-athletes who leave the university and later return to pursue their degrees.ddddddddddddA framed photo of Washington and a piece of the basketball court were presented to Washingtons family at center court during a halftime celebration. A No. 31, Washingtons number at Syracuse, also was unveiled and adhered to the wooden surface at center court.This is a very special weekend. Very special, especially since its the Georgetown game, said Rafael Addison, a teammate of Washington in the 1980s. Its hard to talk about him. Pearl would be very pleased with the outpouring of love. (When the 31 peeled off) it felt like he was in the building. He loved this building. He loved this community. He had so much life, so much charisma.White hit his first two 3-pointers as Syracuse rushed to an 11-4 lead in the first 5:08, giving the Orange the biggest lead of the first half, 11-4. The Hoyas clawed back behind Peaks 12 points in the opening period, and when Peak hit a follow shot to tie the game at 31-all in the final two minutes, it almost seemed like an Orange omen.It wasnt.We need to improve, take care of business, White said. That kind of puts a sour taste in the whole theme of the night. It happens sometimes.BIG PICTUREGeorgetown: Hoyas entered the game averaging 28.5 trips to the free-throw line and thats been a huge factor. They were shooting 77.5 percent on free throws before the game. ... Hoyas have won six of their last eight meetings with Syracuse.Syracuse: A video montage of Washington highlights was shown before the game. .. The Orange leads the series with Georgetown 49-43 but is 7-11 against John Thompson III. Hoyas are 13-30 on the road against Syracuse. ... Seven-foot-2 center Paschal Chukwu, a transfer from Providence, had retina surgery on Saturday and is out indefinitely. Hes played 108 minutes in seven games and had not played in two of the previous three games but still led the team with 14 blocks.ONE FOR PEARL: We just wanted to make sure that Pearl was honored. He was, Boeheim said. Were just happy we could do that. We had a lot of support from a lot of people.UP NEXTGeorgetown: Hosts UNC Greensboro at the Verizon Center next Thursday.Syracuse: Hosts Eastern Michigan on Monday.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 ' ' '

TURIN, Italy -- Most Italians remember their teams victory over Spain in the round of 16 at the European Championship. Not Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.The Azzurri captain insists he often doesnt remember previous matches because of the adrenaline that goes through him on the pitch, and he has urged his teammates to put it to the back of their minds too.I only remember that we had a strong match, with a team that wanted the result at any cost, Buffon said on the eve of Thursdays World Cup qualifier against Spain.We have to have the same attitude tomorrow too, passion, desire and humility, which is fundamental. If in remembering the victory at the Euros instead we go out on the pitch with arrogance and cockiness, it will be the worst mistake we could do ... that match is in the past, now there is another to build ourselves a good present and a great future.Spain will want to make amends after Italys 2-0 victory ended its bid for a third consecutive European title.Both teams won their opening qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup and while the match in Turin might only be their second in Group G, with only one team qualifying automatically, there is no doubt as to how important it is on the road to Russia.Spain will be wounded, but its already started on its new cycle -- as have we, Buffon said. The World Cup is a still a year and a half away, but we have to be aware of the value of this match.Many of the matches between the two old foes have centered on their veteran goalkeepers, with Buffon and Iker Casillas regarded as the best in the world for many years.But Casillas has again not been included in Julen Lopeteguis second squad since taking over from Vicente del Bosque.It will be strange not to see Iker, but its also a sign were getting to our sell-by date, laughed Buffon.But its a source of pride to still be here, with the prospect of becoming the player with the most appearances for their national side.Buffon needs four more appearances to move level with Casillas and former Latvia midfielder Vitalijs Astafjevs on 167 caps as the most capped players in European football history.The 38-year-old Buffon is 21 appearances off Ahmed Hassans record for Egypt.Another member of Italys 2006 World Cup winning squad will be recognized for his longevity at the match in Turin, with UEFA awarding Daniele De Rossi a prize for having made more than 100 international appearances.Last months friendly match against France was De Rossis 107th for Italy.---This story has been corrected to show that De Rossis appearance against France was his 107th for Italy, not his 100th. Michael Frazier Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Calvin Murphy Jersey .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/997z-mike-newlin-jersey-rockets.html . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Dikembe Mutombo Jersey .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Houston Rockets Gear . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. The qualifying offer for Major League Baseball free agents is expected to jump from $15.88 million last winter to $16.7 million this winter, sources tell ESPNs Buster Olney.If a player who is set to become a free agent played the entire season with one team, that team is able to extend a qualifying offer to him. The qualifying offer is a one-year deal worth the average of the top 125 salaries in baseball. If a player accepts a qualifying offer, the deal is done.But if a player declines a qualifying offer, he becomes a free agent. Any team that signs the free-agent plaayer loses its top draft pick -- if its not one of the top 10 draft picks, which are protected.dddddddddddd The team that loses the player is awarded a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds.This is the second-largest jump in a qualifying offer between two years; the biggest rise was from 2013 to 2014, when it climbed from $14.1 million to $15.3 million. Qualifying offers were first extended to potential free agents in 2012. ' ' '

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are back and so is Jason Pierre-Paul.Pierre-Paul had 2+ sacks in probably his most dominant performance since mangling his right hand in a fireworks accident on July 4, 2015. The Giants posted their fifth straight win by rallying for a 22-16 decision over the injury-plagued Chicago Bears on a windy Sunday at MetLife Stadium.The winning streak is the longest in the regular season for the Giants (7-3) since 2010. It has them in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Bears (2-8) are off to their worst start since 2002.With winless Cleveland on the schedule next weekend, there is no reason for the Giants streak to end. The offense has been coming up with enough plays, and the defense has been nailing the door shut.A concern for opponents is that the line is suddenly starting to get pressure. Olivier Vernon had one of the Giants four sacks and JPP stole the show, his total matching the amount from the eight games he played last season after recovering from his injury.JPP is JPP, man, Vernon said. Aint nothing changed about him. He is still a beast out there.After Eli Manning gave the Giants the lead with third-quarter touchdown passes to Will Tye and Sterling Shepard , the defense finished its second-half shutout. Of course, there was a little excitement.After being limited to two first downs, Jay Cutler drove the Bears to the Giants 30 at the two-minute warning.On first down, Pierre-Paul came around left end and got a strip-sack that cost Chicago 14 yards.I even told some guys that it is time to blow up, it is on us and guys responded, Pierre-Paul said. I responded myself. I cant just do the talking, I have to show up, and we came out with a win, guys.After a procedure penalty, safety Landon Collins iced the game with his fifth interception in the past four games.Anytime you can end the game on a play like that, thats encouraging, coach Ben McAdoo said. Sideline was fired up, we were fired up for Landon, he made a heck of a play.Thats the way its been for the Giants these days, which is a far cry from 6-10 records the team posted the past two years.Every game has been a little different; theyve all been close, theyve all come down to the last series, Manning said. Offense, defense, everybodys stepping up and doing their part to get wins.Here are some things learned in the game:DECIMATED BEARS: The Bears are getting to the point where they are running out of healthy players .Linebacker Leonard Floyd, who leads NFL rookie with five sacks, left the game on a stretcher in the fourth quarter with a neck injury. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation, and was later released and traveled with the team back to Chicago.Tight end Zach Miller also left with a possible broken right foot. Defensive back CreVon LeBlanc is in the concussion protocol and left guard Josh Sitton injured his right ankle.Coming into the game, the Bears were missing right tackle Bobbie Massie (concussion), nose tackle Eddie Goldman (ankle), and defensive end Mitch Unrein (back). Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery served the first game of a four-game suspension for violating the NFLs policy on performance enhancers. Guard Kyle Long was placed on injured reserve last week with ankle and shoulder injuries.MISSED PATS: The crosswind blowing at MetLife Stadium gave kickers Robbie Gould and Connor Barth problems.Gould missed two extra points and Barth missed an extra point and had a 51-yard field goal bounce off the upright.The first one I hit was where I was hitting them in pregame, Gould said. I thought I made it and it went outside the left upright. The second one I just didnt hit a good ball. Today was tough, but I have to make them.RUNNING GIANTS: New York is starting to find a running game. It rushed for 102 yards one week after running for 122 yards in a victory vs. Cincinnati. This is the first time the Giants have had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Nov. 30-Dec. 7, 2014 at Jacksonville and Tennessee. Rashad Jennings led the way with 85 yards on 21 carries.BIG MOUTH: Linebacker Pernell McPhee bragged early in the week his defense was going to knock down Manning a few times on Sunday and add to Chicagos sack total of 24.The Giants offensive line shut kept Manning upright. He was not sacked.It was what it was, you put on the film, youll see, McPhee said of the Bears pass rush. I think he `(Manning) did a great job of getting the ball out fast, he did a great job of mixing it up. I think we came in prepared and ready to rush, we just never got him behind the chains.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL A. J. Minter Jersey . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Custom Greg Maddux Jersey . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. http://www.custombravesjersey.com/custom-john-smoltz-jersey-large-257z.html . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Tyler Flowers Jersey . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. Mark Wohlers Jersey . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. The San Diego Chargers did their best to blow another lead Thursday night but held on for a 21-13 win over the Denver Broncos, who were without coach Gary Kubiak.Chargers tight end Hunter Henry is looking like the real deal, as he led all fantasy scorers with six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, his third in as many weeks. He is still available in more than half of ESPN leagues, so go get him.Beyond Henry, it was a dark night in Fantasyland, as no one else did anything of note -- unless you count kicker Josh Lambo (13 points), tight end Bennie Fowler (8 points; owned in 0.0 percent of leagues) and the blue and orange Color Rush uniforms, which clearly were the stars of the evening.Enough looking back, though. Its time to look ahead to the weekend. As you set your fantasy lineups, be sure to takke advantage of our Roster Advisor tool to get an edge on your opponents.dddddddddddd And for those taking part in the Eliminator Challenge, you can get an edge here, too, with the Survivor Guide.Our weekly ESPN Insider cheat sheet provides a rundown of the greatest hits from all of our Insider fantasy football content. In this file, youll find answers to the top questions of the week, along with injury updates, matchup advantages and wild-card plays from Eric Karabell, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Matt Bowen, Scott Kacsmar, Mike Clay, Al Zeidenfeld and ESPN NFL Nation reporters. Its all the best tips distilled into one handy file.Heres what our experts are saying about Week 6: ' ' '

Sept. 2 marks the return of Call of Duty XP, a three day celebration for fans of the franchise. But for the first time ever, the event will host the epic conclusion to the Call of Duty World Championship, a yearlong event that started earlier this year in January. 32 premier teams from across the world will compete in Los Angeles for their share of the $2 million prize pool, a record sum for a tournament that debuted back in 2013.Its a watershed moment for the Call of Duty franchise, which has been an early promoter of the esports scene since the very first Call of Duty XP event in 2011. Thats thanks in part to the introduction of the CWL, a structured, yearlong event.While the CWL has had its share of ups and downs in its first season, its a venture that the CEO of Activision Eric Hirshberg considers a resounding success. To give you an example of the kind of effect the creation of a global, yearlong league has done, our qualifying rounds this year were more viewed than our championship rounds last year. To put that into context, our championship rounds last year made Call of Duty the most viewed shooter on console, he said.Hirshberg attributes that success to the players. They give you the momentum of a story: a beginning, middle and end. Those narratives are what fuel an interest in sports. People love watching the best players in the world play the game they love.Unlike other console esports, a new iteration of Call of Duty is released each year. That turnover isnt lost on Hirshberg, who feels the changes add an extra layer of difficulty for the professionals. That makes CoD esports athletes the most elite, he said. Because not only do they have to be the best, but they have to constantly adapt to each new iteration of the game.With Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, along with the remastered version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, scheduled to hit shelves Nov. 4, Call of Duty XP will represent one of the final tournaments to be played on Call of Duty: Black Ops III. That means this could be one of the final times that OpTic Gaming has the chance to face their rival, FaZe Clan, in a LAN event, something that hasnt happened this year.I think a lot of people are looking forward to that matchup, admitted Hirshberg.For the fans planning to attend the event, it wont just be all about watching the professionals, however.We basically created a theme park that leaped out of a video game, said Hirshberg. Weve built full-size versions of maps in the game and will allow fans to play paintball in them. We are going to have a zombies haunted house laser-tag event. We are going to have a virtual-reality exclusive event at CoD XP where you get to fly the Jackal, which is a combat ship in Infinite Warfare. We are going to have zipline missions. Its really like youre living the game.Thats the model for sports, said Mike Sepso, former co-founder and president of Major League Gaming (MLG), who joined Activision Blizzards esports division a little less than a year ago as the senior vice president. Its not just about sitting down and watching the game, its about the whole entertainment experience. I think thats something that XP is going to do really well. The CWL has really been able to make Call of Duty esports look and feel more like traditional sports, and thats going to help us tremendously in terms of reaching a bigger and more mainstream audience. Custom Mecole Hardman Jersey . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Derrick Nnadi Jersey . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. http://www.customchiefsjersey.com/custom-tony-richardson-jersey-large-1156n.html .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Frank Clark Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Nick Lowery Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. Australian Rugby Union [ARU] chief executive Bill Pulver has backed Michael Cheika through to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, saying the Wallabies coach isnt under one bit of pressure despite the teams worst losing year on record.The Wallabies lost nine of their 15 Tests in 2016. It was the first time the team had lost that number of Tests in a calendar year.The 40 percent winning rate was the lowest since Eddie Jones led Australia to a 5-8 record (38 per cent) in 2005.But while Jones was eventually sacked, Pulver says Cheika is not in the crosshairs at the moment.Believe me, Michael Cheika is under no pressure. None whatsoever, Pulver said.Hes the coach through to 2019, and theres no one better to do the job.Im not pleased to have lost nine Test matches. And boy, let me tell you, Cheika isnt either. But there are really encouraging signs in terms of talent coming through.Michael Cheika and his coaching group have blooded 13 new Wallabies this year.If you look at this as a long-term gamee towards the 2019 World Cup, I think rugby fans are quietly comfortable with the way were developing players.ddddddddddddSeven of the Wallabies losses came against the top two rugby nations - New Zealand and England.The Wallabies were horribly outclassed against the All Blacks, with their average losing margin across the three games a worrying 27 points.The 3-0 series loss at home to England was another dagger in the Wallabies pride.But Pulver believes the short-term pain will eventually lead to long-term glory.We never like to call it a rebuilding year, because we take every Test match seriously, Pulver said.One of Michaels focus points is to make sure youve got multiple players competing for the one position, and that leads to better performances and outcomes, and I think were getting there.Weve now got at least two players vying for every position. ' ' '