MADRID, Spain -- Barcelona defender Dani Alves has received an outpouring of support for his response to a racist taunt during a game, while Villarreal issued a lifetime ban to the season-ticket holder who threw a banana at him. Alves, who is black, was about to take a corner in Sundays 3-2 win at Villarreals El Madrigal Stadium when a banana landed on the pitch in front of him. The Brazil international picked it up, peeled it and ate some of it before throwing the rest aside. "Villarreal deeply regrets and condemns the incident that happened," Villarreal said in a statement on Monday. "The club has already identified the (culprit) and has decided to withdraw his season tickets, permanently." After the match, Alves said humour was the best way to combat racism in sport. That sentiment has led fellow football players, officials and even political figures from around the globe to respond with solidarity by picturing themselves eating a banana. Barcelona teammate Neymar posted a photo of himself on Instagram holding a peeled banana alongside his son, who was holding a doll that resembled a banana. Fellow Brazil teammates Hulk and Fred also lent support via their social media accounts. Argentina striker Sergio Aguero and Brazil womens striker Marta both posed for photos while biting into bananas, while former Brazil international Roberto Carlos also posted an internet photo of himself with the fruit. "We have suffered this in Spain for some time," Alves said Sunday. "You have to take it with a dose of humour. We arent going to change things easily. If you dont give it importance, they dont achieve their objective." Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who has been actively condemning racist acts in Brazilian football, also expressed her support to Alves, while Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Italy national team coach Cesare Prandelli also shared a banana in a photograph. "The player had a daring and strong response to racism in sport," Rousseff wrote on her official Twitter account. "Confronted by something that unfortunately has become too common in stadiums, Alves had attitude." Rousseff praised Neymar for getting behind his teammate and reiterated that Brazil will "raise the flag against racial discrimination" during the World Cup. FIFA President Sepp Blatter also commented on Twitter, saying that "what (Alves) tolerated last night is an outrage." He added that there "will be zero tolerance" at the World Cup. The match referee on Sunday included the 75th-minute incident in his match report, so Villarreal could face a fine. "Our club would like to express its firm commitment to promoting respect, equality, sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the field and our absolute rejection of any act that is contrary to these principles, such as violence, discrimination, racism and xenophobia," Villarreal added in its statement. Alves has often been subjected to racist taunts and called fighting racism "a lost war" in January 2013 after segments of Real Madrids fans abused him with monkey chants during a match. Madrid defender Marcelo, who is also Brazilian, was also recently greeted with monkey chants by a section of Atletico Madrid fans this season. Former Barcelona striker Samuel Etoo was convinced not to walk off at Zaragoza in 2006 after fans berated the Cameroon striker with racist chants. Two years earlier, Spain fans at Madrids Santiago Bernabeu Stadium infamously greeted Englands black players with monkey chants during an international friendly match. Phoenix Suns Jerseys 2020 . On Saturday night, Winnipegs strong offense was again accompanied by some fantastic pitching which gave the Fish a commanding victory. Phoenix Suns Jerseys China . MacLean clocked 8:24.91 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:27.59 set by Brittany Reimer of Victoria at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal. MacLean and Tabitha Baumann of Ottawa -- second in 8:32.37 -- both went under the qualifying standard to be nominated to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific teams. https://www.cheapsunsjerseys.online/.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Packers by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — New England 7-4, Green Bay 5-5-1SERIES RECORD — Tied 5-5. Phoenix Suns Jerseys 2021 . -- The Oakland Raiders added a veteran presence to their young receiving group by signing free agent James Jones to a three-year contract Monday. Youth Phoenix Suns Jerseys . -- Kenneth Faried made a turnaround hook shot over Draymond Green with a half-second remaining, and the Denver Nuggets made Golden State wait at least one more game to secure a playoff berth with a stunning 100-99 win over the Warriors on Thursday night.SAN FRANCISCO -- Yusmeiro Petit had all of an hour to prepare for his spot start, and he hadnt thrown off a mound for seven days while only playing catch. There was no time to study San Diegos hitters, either. Petit dazzled in place of injured ace Matt Cain, pitching six innings to lead the San Francisco Giants past the Padres 6-0 Tuesday night. "Thats my job," said Petit, who was one out from a perfect game last September against Arizona shortly after joining the rotation. "Im prepared for it any time for that, one moment before the game telling me youre going to start the game. Ive done it before. Its normal for me." Angel Pagan led off the first inning with a homer and Buster Posey connected two batters later to give Petit an early boost. Cain was scratched after cutting the tip of his right index finger. Cain was in the clubhouse kitchen making a sandwich and had a knife in his hand when the utensil dropped. Cain tried to catch it and cut his finger about a half-inch at the tip. He took batting practice, but then tried to throw and kept opening the cut. He expects to make his next start, Monday at Pittsburgh. "Its obviously really, really bad timing," Cain said. "Petit did an unbelievable job today. He picked it up and the guys scored a bunch of runs. Hopefully this isnt a big deal ... and it should be fine in a couple days." Petit (2-1) didnt allow a hit until Everth Cabreras leadoff single in the fourth. Hector Sanchez, starting at catcher with Posey at first base, hit a two-run single and a sacrifice fly. Petit allowed three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. It was his first start not allowing a run since he tossed a one-hitter last Sept. 6 at home against Arizona. He lowered his ERA from 3.68 to 2.61. Jean Machi pitched two innings and Santiago Casilla finished the 2-hour, 28-minute, three-hitter, San Franciscos second shutout this season. The Padres were blanked for the fourth time. The Giants said Cain wouldnt require stitches. "What a great effort," mannager Bruce Bochy said of Petit.dddddddddddd "Any time you lose your starter and the swing guy goes in there and gives you six innings like that, thats such a big lift for the club." Cain, who pitched a perfect game two years ago at AT&T Park, will finish winless in April. He is 0-3 with a 4.35 ERA in five starts. Pagan sent a 1-1 pitch from Eric Stults (1-3) just inside the left-field foul pole for his second homer, then Posey hit his sixth one out later. It was Pagans seventh career leadoff homer and first since May 1, 2013, at Arizona. The Giants hit two homers in the first inning at AT&T Park for the first time since Fred Lewis and Bengie Molina did so on July 22, 2008, against Washington. "Tonight I didnt execute many pitches. I was down in the zone the first time I played them," Stults said. "I knew they were probably going to be aggressive. They usually come out swinging early." Stults was done after 2 2-3 innings, allowing five runs and seven hits. San Diegos Yasmani Grandal made his first career start at first base as manager Bud Black gave struggling Yonder Alonso a break. San Diego will try to win Wednesdays rubber game for their first road series victory this year and snap a nine-series winless streak at AT&T Park dating to a three-game series here from Oct. 1-3, 2010, one that sealed the Giants division title on the way to the citys first World Series championship. NOTES: Padres reliever Donn Roach doubled in the sixth for his first major league hit. ... Home run king Barry Bonds made an appearance at the ballpark. ... Padres OF Seth Smith was available off the bench but missed his fourth straight start as he nurses a strained groin sustained Thursday night against the Nationals. Black said it was "a very good chance" he could start Wednesday. ... Giants RHP Tim Hudson tries for his fourth victory, facing LHP Robbie Erlin (1-3). ... The Giants improved to 11-1 when scoring first. ... It was an usually warm 76 degrees at first pitch. ' ' '

The notion of BMO Field as the future home of the Toronto Argonauts has been shelved as Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment prepares to invest in refurbishing the facility in time for next summers Pan-Am Games without a retrofit for Canadian football. In April, Toronto city council approved a plan to invest $10 million in a $120 million expansion, contingent on the provincial and federal governments kicking in $10 million each as well. That plan included expanding the stadium to accommodate CFL football, with the Argos hoping to move in as soon as next season. That stadium deal was put together at the same time that Argo owner David Braley was negotiating to sell the Argos to either MLSE or its largest individual shareholder, Larry Tanenbaum. However, with the provincial and federal governments yet to sign onto the deal, and time running out, MLSE is now focused on upgrading and repairing the facility under its current configurations, with an emphasis on getting it ready for next summers Pan-Am Games when it will host the Rugby Sevens competition. The state of eight-year-old BMO Field is apparently such that it is in need of significant upgrades to such things as the field, locker rooms, concourse areas and suites as well, all in time for the Pan-Am Games. Tuesdays news comes as a blow to the Argonauts, who appeared destined to move into BMO either under new ownership or with Braley negotiating a lease with MLSE. However, just where the Argos fit into the BMO picture now is unclear. "If in fact there are continued modifications to BMO and if in fact the Argos do not ever find a home there, it would be very disappointing," said Argo president Chris Rudge, "given that when the field was originally built there were discussions of the Argos playing there." While the possibility of an Argo sale to Tanenbaum or MLSE is not dead, according to a source, it has gone from being a priority to something that would depend on another phase of stadium expansion being approved. The Argos have been asked to vacate the Rogers Centre - their home since 1989 - after the 2017 season so that the Toronto Blue Jays may consider installing natural grass into the facility. MLSE will take a plan to city council next month to spend $80 million upgrading amenities in the stadium, asking for permission to spend the $10 million of city dollars on that project that was granted for the larger vision in April. MLSEs plan had been to expand BMO Field to accommodate CFL football as well as such things as larger soccer events and an NHL outdoor hockey game. However, all of those things are now dependent on another phase of stadium reconstruction, beyond the one expected to take place over the next year. Braley, who bought the BC Lions back in 1997, became sole owner of the Argonuats before the 2010 season. There has been speculation that part of Tanenbaums desire to see the Argos move into BMO is fueled by a desire to ease the NFLs concerns in advance of a possible relocation of the Buffalo Bills to Toronto. However, with it being highly unlikely the Bills can move anywhere before 2020, there may be less desire, from Tanenbaums perspective, to buy or acccomodate the Argos. Stitched NBA Jerseys .com) - The Columbus Blue Jackets rewarded starting goaltender and pending restricted free agent Sergei Bobrovsky with a four-year contract extension on Friday. Cheap NBA Jerseys China . -- Jacksonvilles offensive makeover is just getting starting. https://www.cheapnbajerseys.online/. Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday. NBA Store . Lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Blake Comeau – The Penguins winger had a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto. NBA Jerseys 2020 . -- New York Yankees centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was sent for an MRI Thursday of his ailing right calf, which was negative.LONDON -- Tottenham hired Mauricio Pochettino as the clubs new manager on a five-year contract on Tuesday, with the former Argentina defender making the move from fellow Premier League side Southampton. Pochettino replaced Tim Sherwood, who was fired on May 13 after just five months in the job following Tottenhams sixth-place finish in the league. The 42-year-old Pochettino developed a strong reputation for playing a positive, attacking brand of football in his 18 months at Southampton, which he joined from Spanish side Espanyol when he replaced Nigel Adkins. Southampton finished eighth in the standings last season, with its highest Premier League points haul of 56. "This is a club with tremendous history and prestige and I am honoured to have been given this opportunity to be its head coach," Pochettino said. "There is an abundance of top-class talent at the club and I am looking forward to starting work with the squad. We are determined to give the supporters the kind of attacking football and success that we are all looking to achieve." Pochettino is the eighth permanent manager to be appointed in Spurs chairman Daniel Levys 13 years at the club. "In Mauricio I believe we have a head coach who, with his high energy, attacking football, will embrace the style of play we associate with our club," Levy said in a statement. "He has a proven ability to develop each player as an individual, whilst building great team spirit and a winning mentality. We have a talented squad that Mauricio is excited to be coaching nexxt season.dddddddddddd" Tottenham aspires to qualify for the Champions League again, having played one season alongside Europes elite in 2010-11. Following the sale of winger Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for 100 million euros (then $132 million), the North-London club went through a chaotic season that has featured defeats of 6-0 and 5-1 to Manchester City, 5-0 at home to Liverpool and a change of manager when Andre Villas-Boas was replaced by Sherwood. Pochettinos arrival could also help relaunch the career of forward Erik Lamela, who has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and was hampered by a series of injuries since joining the club for an estimated 30 million pounds ($50.41 million) fee. Although he was beaten twice by Sherwood last season, the former Espanyol boss led Southampton to its highest-ever Premier League finish. He will keep working with his own staff, with assistant coach Jesus Perez, first team coach Miguel DAgostino and goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez all following him to White Hart Lane. Southampton said it has begun its search for a "high-calibre" manager, with Sherwood reportedly an option to replace Pochettino alongside the likes of Malky Mackay, Steve McClaren, Murat Yakin and Michael Laudrup. "The club has been on a constant path of growth since the arrival of (the late owner) Markus Liebherr in 2009," Saints chairman Ralph Krueger said. "This growth took place before Mauricio came, it continued strongly under his leadership, and it will continue into the next season." ' ' '

BATA, Equatorial Guinea - Complaints about referees are common in football, but frustrated host Equatorial Guinea is claiming an actual conspiracy at the African Cup of Nations.Equatorial Guineas football federation said it sent a letter of protest to tournament organizers this week following a disallowed goal by captain Emilio Nsue in the opening game of the African Cup, a 1-1 draw with Republic of Congo in Bata on Saturday. Nsue was ruled offside though TV replays suggested he wasnt.The federation thinks the incident may have been more than just a mistake by match officials.The federation considers ... that the annulment (of the goal) is part of a planned action to complicate the passing of the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea to the quarterfinals, the federation said in a statement released through the governments press and information office.The statement said federation staff viewed the video of Nsues disallowed goal and asked sports analysts for their opinion before concluding that this is an injustice and possibly a predetermined action of the referees.In the protest letter sent to the Confederation of African Football, new federation president Andres Jorge Mbomio invites the CAF to correct these referees, to stop this behaviour which, in his opinion, is not the first time that (it) affects the national team of Equatorial Guinea, the statement said.The federation didnt clarify what it meant by not the first time.CAF hasnt responded publicly to the apparent protest.In fact, the Central African country is fortunate to be playing at the 2015 African Cup at all after it was disqualified from the tournament last year for fielding an ineligible player in qualifying. The country was reinstated after it took over as host from Morocco.Equatorial Guineas federation also overlooked a goal by Nsue in the first half against Republic of Congo, which was allowed to stand when replays suggested he was offside that time.Equatorial Guinea has drawn both its games and now must beat neighbour Gabon in the final round of games in Group A to qualify for the quarters — the very least the raucous home fans expect. NFL Jerseys Shop .Hoffenheim forward Anthony Modeste opened the scoring on a counterattack in the 15th minute, shooting though Jaroslav Drobnys legs after Lewis Holtby lost the ball in midfield. Nike NFL Jerseys . You can listen to the game live on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal or on TSN.ca/Montreal. Also, TSN.ca features live streaming of the post-game news conferences from the Bell Centre. The Rangers grabbed a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Final after Sundays 3-2 overtime victory against the visiting Habs. https://www.cheapnfljerseys.shop/. "I just think what it does for everybody in life is real simple," said Babcock early on Friday afternoon. "You dont give in. You just keep on keeping on. Is it going to go your way every time? No. But you choose your attitude and how you perform and how hard you dig in." Nearly four years to the day of the 2010 gold medal match in Vancouver, his team dug in with its best effort of these Olympics, snuffing out the high-powered Americans for another opportunity at gold. NFL Jerseys Sale . In their first meeting for six years, the Frenchmen dropped serve twice in the first set, but Giquel broke Simon two more times in the second. Gicquel moves on to face sixth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who advanced with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win against wild card Pierre-Hugues Herbert, despite the Frenchmans 23 aces. NFL Jerseys 2020 . Tristan Jackson returned a missed field goal 129 yards early in the fourth quarter as the Roughriders beat the B.C.SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame sent quite the message in its Atlantic Coast Conference debut. Eric Atkins scored 19 points, Pat Connaughton had 16 and the Fighting Irish upset No. 7 Duke 79-77 on Saturday. The victory comes in the wake of leading scorer Jerian Grants dismissal from school two weeks ago for an academic violation and provides a much-needed confidence boost as the Irish begin play in their new league. "Its really important for our group given the two weeks weve had to feel like, Hey, we may still have a shot at this thing. Because nobody else thought we had a shot," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. Atkins scored seven points during a decisive 20-4 run as Notre Dame rallied from a 10-point deficit and held on to win two weeks after squandering an eight-point lead in the final 50 seconds against No. 3 Ohio State at Madison Square Garden. "It definitely gives us a lot of life. Everybodys confidence is up now, winning such a big game," Atkins said. The Irish (10-4, 1-0) improved to 13-6 against top-10 teams at home under Brey. It was the first loss in an ACC opener for the Blue Devils (11-3, 0-1) in seven seasons. Rodney Hood, who led the Blue Devils with 27 points, said Duke played like an immature team, allowing the Irish to hold the ball for long periods and then score as the shot clock ticked down. "When we needed a stop, we didnt get a stop," Hood said. "We had some balls go in and out, but I can name at least 10 plays where it was a breaking point and we didnt pull it off." Duke used a 9-0 run to open a 49-40 lead early in the second half and stretched the lead to 60-50 when Andre Dawkins made a 3 from the top of the key with about 11 minutes left. But when Notre Dame went to a small lineup to try to guard the Blue Devils better from behind the arc, Demetrius Jackson hit a 3 to spark the 20-4 run. "I thought that was the biggest shot of the game," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "If we get a stop, we could have gone up by 12.dddddddddddd That was a huge shot." Atkins tied the game on a layup, and then followed with another basket inside on a pass from Connaughton. Steve Vasturia, who wasnt getting much playing time before Grant was dismissed, hit a 3-pointer to give the Irish a 68-64 lead after Duke freshman Jabari Parker, who struggled all game, badly missed a 3. "That was a huge shot to really make us believe," Brey said. The Blue Devils closed within one point twice in the final 2 minutes, but the Irish didnt wilt under the pressure. Atkins made a layup after Duke cut it to 72-71, and then Garrick Sherman hit a free throw with 16 seconds left after missing the first. Duke still had a chance to tie the game, but Hood dribbled too deep and had a pass stolen by Jackson. Each team finished with six turnovers. Krzyzewski blamed the loss on Dukes defence. "We just stopped playing the defence that we were playing," he said. Sherman had 14 points as the Irish outscored Duke 44-16 in the paint. Quinn Cook had 22 points for Duke, which was 12 of 28 from beyond the arc, one shy of its season high. Parker, who grew up 90 miles away in Chicago, failed to score in double figures for the first time this season. He missed his first four shots, including a 12-foot baseline air ball, and had a jumper blocked by Austin Burgett. Cook looked frustrated at the end of the first half when it appeared Parker ran the wrong play. Parker had seven points on 2-for-10 shooting and wasnt in the game at the end. "He just wasnt having a good game," Krzyzewski said. Brey said good team defence played a role in Parkers off day. "I think there was a great team awareness of him. I wish we could have used some of that on Hood," he said. Brey improved to 1-1 against his former boss. "Its a historic day for us, our first ACC game," Brey said. "To beat a program like Dukes will always be a great memory for us starting off in Atlantic Coast Conference play." ' ' '

NEWARK, N.J. -- Adam Henrique scored twice, Jaromir Jagr netted the 699th goal of his career and the New Jersey Devils had a rare goal-scoring binge in defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Thursday night. Ryane Clowe also scored and the special teams tallied twice on the power play and once short-handed as the Devils opened the post-Olympic break with a much-needed win if it wants to make the playoffs after missing last season. Patrik Elias added a goal and two assists and Cory Schneider made 17 saves as New Jersey salvaged the final game of its four-game season series with Columbus (1-2-1). Artem Anisimov scored for the Blue Jackets and set up one by Marian Gaborik. The Devils, who had the NHLs second-fewest goals (135) before the break, tallied three times in the 2:45 span early in the first period against Sergei Bobrovsky in taking the lead for good. Clowe got the Devils going with a shot from the right circle on what seemingly was a three-for-one chance. Bobrovsky saved his first shot. The second was blocked and came back to Clowe, who tallied his fourth goal of the season on his third attempt. Special teams took over from there. With James Wisniewski off for interference, Bobrovsky made an outstanding stop on a rebound attempt by Jagr. The 42-year-old Czech got the rebound and stickhandled the puck around the prone goaltender and deposited into the net at 7:31. It was his 18th goal of the season and left him one shy of becoming the NHLs seventh member of the 700-goal club. Henrique pushed the lead to 3-0 at 8:54 by deflecting an Andy Greene point shot with Ryan Johansen off for hooking. Columbus coach Todd Richards called a time out after the goal and it settled the Blue Jackets, who had been 12-5-1 since Jan. 1. Anisimov got the Blue Jackets on the board with a gift from Schneider. The Russian backhanded a shot from the right corner and Schneider lost his position on the corner of the net and allowed it to sneak in. Gaborik, who had missed Columbus last 22 games with a broken collarbone, cut the margin to 3-2 at 11:42 of the second period by knocking a puck out of the air and beating Schneider in close. The Blue Jackets had the better of the play the rest of the period and seemingly were in position to tie the game when Travis Zajac was penalized for hooking with 34 second left in the period. Columbus not only didnt tie, but it fell behind two goals. Defenceman Jack Johnson could not control the puck at the point and Elias floated an alley-oop pass over his stick to Henrique. He skated in on Bobrovsky and beat him between the pads for his 16th goal of the season. Elias scored into an empty net in the final minute. NOTES: The Devils, who were 0 for 12 on the power play in their last four games before the break, scored on their first two power plays. The Blue Jackets had killed off 23 straight penalties in their final five games before the break. ... The three-goal period was only the sixth of the season for New Jersey, one goal shy of its season high against Carolina in November. ... Columbus will be without D Fedor Tyutin for a couple of weeks because of an ankle injury suffered in the Olympics. ... New Jersey lost RW Damien Brunner with lower-body injury after the first period. Build Your Own Jersey . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada. Custom Jerseys . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. https://www.customjerseys.store/.com) - Wayne Simmonds, Scott Laughton and Jakub Voracek each posted a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers thumped the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1, on Saturday. Build Your Own Basketball Jersey . Sundays game against the Colorado Rapids at B.C. Place Stadium has important implications in determining Major League Soccers playoff picture and will also mark the final game in the career of veteran South Korean defender Young-Pyo Lee. Build Your Own Hockey Jersey .Y. -- Defenceman Ryan Murphy had a goal and an assist and Drew MacIntyre made 24 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-2 in an exhibition game Wednesday night.New York, NY (Sports Network) - Alabama remained the top team in college football, keeping its lofty position in the latest Associated Press poll. Notre Dame, which lost to the Crimson Tide in last years BCS National Championship game, tumbled out of the poll after a home loss to Oklahoma. Alabama improved to 4-0 with a 25-0 victory over then-No. 21 Ole Miss on Saturday. The Crimson Tide received 55 first-place votes -- one fewer than last week -- and a total of 1,495 points from a nationwide media panel. Oregon, after a 55-16 rout of California, again picked up an extra No. 1 vote for a total of five and held on to the second spot, followed again by Clemson, Ohio State and Stanford. Georgia moved up three spots to sixth after a 44-41 win over LSU, which dropped four spots to 10th. Louisville, Florida State and Texas A&M are sandwiched between the SEC powers. The second 10 consists of Oklahoma, UCLA, South Carolina, Miami-Florida, Washington, Nortthwestern, Baylor, Florida, Michigan and Texas Tech.dddddddddddd Oklahoma moved up three spots after its 35-21 win in South Bend. Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Fresno State, Ole Miss and Maryland are the last five teams ranked. Oklahoma State tumbled 10 spots from 11th after a 30-21 loss at West Virginia. Arizona State and Maryland are this weeks newcomers, replacing Notre Dame and Wisconsin, the latter losing at Ohio State. Arizona State improved to 3-1, following up a 42-28 loss at Stanford last week with a 62-41 home win over Southern California on Saturday, a victory that ended the tenure of USC coach Lane Kiffin, while Maryland is 4-0 and was idle this weekend after a 37-0 rout of West Virginia last Saturday. The Terrapins will have a tough test in their first game as a ranked team this year with a visit to Florida State next Saturday. Two other ranked matchups pit Ohio State at Northwestern and Stanford at home against Washington. ' ' '

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Gulfstream Parks Donn Handicap will be the initial stakes race that will begin The Jockey Club Tour on FOX for 2015. The Donn Handicap will part of a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 7. The 1 1/8- mile Donn will be joined by the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita. Both races are for older colts and geldings with Horse of the Year finalists Bayern and California Chrome likely for the San Antonio along with 2013 Eclipse Award winner Shared Belief. We could not script a better beginning to our second season of The Jockey Club racing series than this showdown of champions, said SVP, Programming, Research & Content Strategy, FOX Sports Michael Mulvihill. The opening broadcast will run from from 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET. There is always a terrific sense of anticipation and excitement when top caliber and well-known horses compete against each other and were eagerly awaiting the Donn-San Antonio telecast on FOX Sports 1, said Tom Ludt, president of Santa Anita Park and SVP of Racing and Gaming for TSG. In 2014 there were 10 shows featuring better than 24 races. The on-air duties will once again be handled by Greg Wolf, former jockey Richard Migliore, Andy Serling, Simon Bray and Alyssa Ali. The ever-increasing national television presence of thoroughbred racing, which now includes several races leading up to the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup as well as the FOX series, certainly helps build awareness of our sport, said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. The Jockey Club Tour on FOX Sports 1 series, along with our wide- ranging fan development efforts conducted under the Americas Best Racing brand, encourage consumer engagement, and we look forward to working with our track partners, our sponsors and the team at FOX Sports to once again bring some of our best racing events to new audiences. Cheap NBA Jerseys USA . Judging by his performance Saturday night, Cotto has plenty left in the tank. Cotto became the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world championships in four weight divisions, stopping Sergio Martinez in their WBC world middleweight title fight Saturday night. Cheap NBA Jerseys Store . -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens. https://www.cheapnbajerseys.store/. Today, their baseball playing sons were reportedly traded for each other. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs dealt minor league outfield Trevor Gretzky to the Angels for catcher Matt Scioscia. Nike NBA Jerseys .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005. Authentic NBA Jerseys . McCutchen was cut before the series opener against Seattle on Monday night, when Lewis was set for his first start for Texas since July 18, 2012. Texas selected Lewis contract from Triple-A Round Rock.SOCHI, Russia -- Shea Webers shot left his stick, and by the time it hit the net, Canada was able to exhale. For much of the night, Team Canada forced everyone to hold their collective breath while goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis and Latvia played with house money in the mens Olympic hockey quarter-final. Webers third-period goal was enough to break the tie and help the Canadians escape with a 2-1 victory at Bolshoy Ice Dome on Wednesday. The win gave Canada a spot in semifinals, where it will meet the rival Americans for a berth in the gold-medal game. The United States beat the Czech Republic 5-2 at Shayba Arena to move on. Nerves from the Canadian contingent were palpable throughout the game against Latvia, from the time Lauris Darzins scored in the first period to tie the score until Weber reclaimed the lead with a blast from the point on the power play at 13:06 of the third. Had 11th-seeded Latvia beaten third-seeded Canada, it would have arguably been one of the biggest upsets in the history of Olympic hockey. Instead, Canada was able to survive an unexpected test against a gritty group coached by Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., native Ted Nolan. Latvia was outshot 57-16 overall but managed to hang in the game thanks to 55 saves from Gudlevskis, a prospect in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. "It can get to you," Canadian forward Patrick Marleau said Canadas struggles to beat Gudlevskis. Patrick Sharp scored Canadas first goal in the first period, and goalie Carey Price made 15 saves. But it was Webers goal through a screen after a give-and-go at the points with Drew Doughty with three seconds left on a power play that made the difference. With puck drop coming just two hours after host Russias tournament ended with a stunning 3-1 loss to Finland, the atmosphere inside Bolshoy was, as Pavel Datsyuk described his emotions, "empty." Previously the home fans filled the arena, chanted "Roos-ee-ah" and at least revelled in rooting against Canada. This time they were more subdued, save for joining in with some "Lat-vee-ah" chants started by a group wearing bright orange. Gudlevskis gave them a chance to cheer with a big save on Jamie Benn two minutes in, and Chris Kunitz a chance to gasp as he hit the crossbar seconds after Sidney Crosby almost scored. But Canadian fans got the first chance to celebrate when the fourth line opened the scoring 13:37 in. Rick ;Nash collected the puck in front of the net, skated behind it just long enough for John Tavares to set a screen and fed Sharp, who hit the open hole perfectly to make it 1-0.dddddddddddd Not long after, a set neutral-zone play by Latvia led to a breakaway on Price and a tie score. Defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh stepped off the ice and Darzins, a forward who impressed with a pretty toe drag earlier, stepped on just in time for Winnipeg Jets property Arturs Kulda to spring him for a pass. Canadian defencemen Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo got beat clean, and Darzins scored on a back-hander over Prices right pad at 15:41. That was enough to fire up many Russian fans to make this much more like a hostile, road game for Canada. On the ice it felt similar, as Ted Nolans group made the Canadians work for quality scoring chances despite a huge shot discrepancy. Early in the second period it wasnt a shot but a hit that made a huge difference for Canada and the New York Islanders. Kulda hit Tavares hard, and the fourth-line centre went down in a heap in the corner. Tavares was able to skate off under his own power and remained on the bench briefly before going down the tunnel. It was not immediately clear what the injury was. Without Tavares, coach Mike Babcock was forced to shuffle his lines, putting 13th forward Martin St. Louis on right wing with Kunitz and Crosby and sliding Bergeron down to centre the fourth line between Sharp and Nash. Canada continued the siege on Gudlevskis throughout the second period, outshooting Latvia 15-2. But it could not break through. It looked like that run was over 8:27 into the third, but a controversial call kept it 1-1. Jonathan Toews and Marleau got the puck to the goal-line and almost over, but Latvia defenceman Kristaps Sotnieks gloved it to keep it out. The ruling was that the puck did not fully cross the line, and Canada did not get a penalty shot because that cannot be awarded on review. NOTES: Forward Matt Duchene and defenceman P.K. Subban were Canadas healthy scratches vs. Latvia. Babcock said Subban, who appeared in only one of four games, has been "excellent" about handling his role. Duchene tweeted a "best of luck" message to his teammates Wednesday afternoon. ... Former Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators forward Kaspars Daugavins was scratched for Latvia because of an illness. ... The attendance was announced as 9,852. ' ' '

The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed head coach Carl Robinson to a new multi-year deal. Robinson guided the team to a franchise record 50 points (12-14-8) and a playoff berth in his first season as boss and has been rewarded with a new deal. His previous one only took him through the end of 2015. The new contract is a tremendous achievement for the 38-year-old who, after one year on the job, has proven to the organization he is the man to lead them going forward. Speaking to TSN to break the news, Robinson admitted he is pleased to be with a team that shares his plans for the long-term. I stressed from Day One that I wanted to move this club forward in a certain way with playing young players and building a foundation for the club, he said. After one year, I think we were pretty successful, but it’s only the beginning, but obviously their vision of the club matches my vision, so we’re happy to tie things up. For the Whitecaps the agreement brings them some much-needed consistency at a position in which they have struggled to find continuity since joining Major League Soccer. Asked about his vision for the teams personnel moving forward, Robinson said there are still moves to be made. Im not done, he told TSN when asked about making additions. You can never have enough good players. I dont mind making tough decisions if Ive got a lot of good players. The Welshman, who was an assistant in Vancouver under previous coach Martin Rennie, was only hired in December 2013 following a long, thorough process by the club. “When he applied for the job and we sat down with him, we were impressed with his thoughts on how he could incorporate the experience he’s had as a player and as coach in MLS and his experience as international with the Welsh team into the job,” President Bob Lenarduzzi said at the time. “In the end, Carl quickly emerged as a top candidate and we felt strongly that he was the right choice.” A year on, the club no longer feels strongly he was the right choice. They know. In just one year, Carl and his staff have done an exceptional job in establishing a foundation, bringing in quality players and people, and taking this team to the next level, Lenarduzzi said Sunday. They are all highly respected not only within our club, but also around the league and the soccer world. We are confident that their eye for talent, dedication and hard work will continue to yield positive results. Robinson impressed the Whitecaps in all aspects of his job in year one. While achieving unprecedented success at the club, Robinson also gave many youngsters opportunities to shine in the first team, something that was very important to the Whitecaps front office who made it a priority to lock him up this offseason. Talks were already in the works prior to the last month of the season with Robinson sitting down with the club in September to discuss the framework of a deal that has now been completed. Robinson guided the Whitecaps through a year of transition in 2014 while still allowing the club to be competitive. After Camilo left, other big names followed in Kenny Miller and Jay DeMerit but throughout it all Robinson and his staff recruited well and signed the likes of Pedro Morales, Matias Laba and Kendall Waston to be the spine of the team for now and the future. In an interview with Marc Weber of the Province in October, minority owner Jeff Mallett was very complimentary of the head coach, saying: “I think Carl has overachieved.” He added: “The one thing we knew with Carl was his character, and I think that’s still the best attribute about him. Who he is and how he handles himself, whether it’s with media or owners or anyone, has brought what we’d hoped for: that clear, consistent communicator. He’s practical and he’s also very passionate about what he does.” Robinson guided the team to four wins and a draw in their last five matches to make the playoffs for just the second time, including a standout performance at Seattle when the club won 1-0 in their 32nd league match of the season. That victory got many fans in Vancouver wondering when the club would extend Robinson to prevent his head being turned to the English leagues with its 92 managerial jobs and where he played professionally for 11 seasons. Robinson’s name was publicly mentioned when his former side, New York Red Bulls, saw their head coach job briefly become available earlier this month and with his reputation growing worldwide clubs in England have also been monitoring his current situation very closely. The Whitecaps have now given him plenty of reasons to not look elsewhere. Robinson expressed his joy in committing to a city hes come to call home. When I moved to Canada in 2007 we made a big commitment - me and my family - and we were very happy there, he told TSN. Fast forward seven years and were still very happy. I was willing to commit, as my coaches were, because we think weve got something special on our hands here. Assistants Gordon Forrest and Martyn Pert, along with goalkeeping coach Marius Rovde, have also signed new multiyear deals. Cheap Jerseys From China . However, the intensity and physicality that has characterized the postseason so far has caught Gretzky by surprise. "Its a little bit risqué right now," Gretzky told Philadelphia radio station 97. Cheap NFL Jerseys USA . 2015 Oscar nomination pending. Here is an open letter from Steven Stamkos to his fans: When I shot this final Moment Zero film last August, it was a fun few days on set with Coke Zero and Jordan Eberle in my hometown of Markham. https://www.cheapjersey.store/. Torres tells Spanish daily AS "in football you never know where you will be inside one month. Im going to work hard, thats all you can do with this last part of the season so important. Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . Louis against the Blues. The Canucks picked up their second straight victory in the swings opener on Tuesday in Calgary before getting routed in Minnesota last night, 5-1. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday.Melbourne, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Four-time champion Novak Djokovic, reigning titlist Stan Wawrinka and Japanese star Kei Nishikori highlighted Mondays fourth-round winners at the Australian Open. The world No. 1 Djokovic got past Luxembourg left-hander Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 in Mondays nightcap at Laver Arena to reach his 23rd consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal. The seven-time Grand Slam champion and reigning Wimbledon titlist is seeking his fourth Aussie championship in five years, having captured three straight of his four Melbourne crowns from 2011-13. Up next for the great Djokovic, who has yet to drop a set through four matches here, will be eighth-seeded big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic, who is 0-4 lifetime against the Serb. Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Swiss slugger Wawrinka pulled out a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-8) victory over Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Garcia-Lopez won the first five points of the fourth-set tiebreak and had five chances to force a fifth set at Melbourne Park, but Wawrinka saved all five before moving on. Garcia-Lopez stunned Wawrinka in the first round at last years French Open. Wawrinkas quarterfinal opponent on Wednesday will be the fifth-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Nishikori, who handled ninth-seeded former French Open finalist David Ferrer of Spain 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on Day 8 of the fortnight. Looking ahead to his clash with Wawrinka, Nishikori said, Its going to be a really tough match because I have seen him play on TV a couple of matches. Even today he was playing really good. He can hit balls forehand, backhand -- great backhand actually. He can hit from anywhere at the back. Its going to be a tough match. But obviously Im in the quarterfinals, so no easy matches coming up. Hopefully I can play another ggood match.dddddddddddd For sure it gives me confidence that I beat him in the U.S. Open. Its not like I cant beat him. Its going to be a fun match for sure. Nishikori made history as he became the first Asian man to contest a Grand Slam final last year when he defeated three Top-10 players, including Wawrinka in five sets in the quarters, to reach the U.S. Open final. The aforementioned Raonic had to outlast 12th-seeded Spanish lefty Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3, to reach the round of eight. Lopez saved seven match points before succumbing to the big Canadian. Raonic became the first Canadian man in the Open Era to reach the Aussie Open quarters and is also the second Canadian man in history to reach three major quarterfinals, following in the footsteps of Robert Powell at Wimbledon in 1908, 10 and 12. Its great to be doing what Im doing and that it is making a difference, said Raonic. It is, I guess, part of some history, if you look really deep. But at the end of the day, at the same time, Im always pushing myself for what I want to achieve. Im always sort of looking in the mirror and saying, Thats who I have to compare myself to: to myself. The quarterfinals will commence Tuesday, as third-seeded former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal will take on seventh-seeded Tomas Berdych and sixth-seeded Andy Murray will battle heavy Aussie crowd favorite Nick Kyrgios. Nadal beat Berdych in the 2010 Wimbledon final and is 18-3 lifetime against the big Czech. The reigning French Open king Nadal is a 14-time Grand Slam champ, including an Aussie title in 2009. Hes also a two-time runner-up in Melbourne, including last year when he was stunned by Wawrinka in the final. Murray is a two-time major titlist whos lost in three Aussie Open finals. ' ' '

MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester United unearthed a potential star of the future and perhaps had one last glimpse of a great of its recent past in a 3-1 win over Hull on Tuesday that kept alive the teams chances of European football next season. Highly rated striker James Wilson, 18, marked his senior debut for United with predatory strikes in either half, setting the deposed champions on their way to a victory in their final home game of a forgettable Premier League campaign. Ryan Giggs -- at the other end of the age spectrum at 40 -- came on for his 963rd, and possibly final, appearance for United in the second half and set up fellow substitute Robin van Persie for the clinching third goal in the 86th. Giggs, taking charge of his third game as Uniteds interim manager following the firing of David Moyes last month, has not decided whether to take his distinguished playing career into a 24th year next season. And his future as a coach at United is uncertain while the club searches for Moyes replacement, which is likely to be current Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal. An emotional Old Trafford also bade farewell to defender Nemanja Vidic, who is joining Inter Milan in the summer after more than eight years at United, on a night that had an end-of-era feel to it. Wilson, though, offered positive signs for the future as part of a youthful lineup that included another debutant in 20-year-old forward Tom Lawrence. Addressing supporters in a short speech on the pitch after the final whistle, Giggs said: "You have seen a little glimpse of the future, and this is what this club is about. We never stand still. We always give youth a chance, and we try and play attractive football." Vidic began on the bench after accepting a memento from United great Bobby Robson before kickoff but was a 22nd-minute substitute for Phil Jones, who came off with a shoulder injury sustained in an aerial collision. Giggs said Jones, who was expected to be in Englands World Cup squad, had been taken to hospital and that it "didnt look great." Big things are expected of Wilson, who has played for England Under-16s and Under-19s and has scored 19 goals for Uniteds Under-21 team this season. And he showed his strikers instincts just in the 31st, reacting quickly to Marouane Fellainis nod-down from a free kick to slam a left-foot shot low into the net from the edge of the six-yard box. When he slotted in a rebound from a similar distance after Fellainis shot was parried out by goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic in the 61st, Wilson was on course to emulate Wayne Rooneys feat from 2004 of scoring a hat trick on his debut. He was substituted three minutes later, however, but the Old Trafford crowd will surely be seeing more of him. Giggs entered to rousing applause in the 70th and showed flashes of the brilliance that has illuminated Old Trafford since 1991. With the home fans chanting "Keeper, let it in," Giggs had a long-range free kick tipped over by Jakupovic in injury time -- perhaps bringing to an end his run of scoring in every Premier League season since its inception in 1992. Hull, which is safe from relegation, halved the deficit in the 63rd minute through Matty Fryatt but the match ended on a sour note with David Meyler appearing to stamp on United winger Adnan Januzaj. The incident was not seen by the referee and any retrospective punishment could lead to Meyler missing the FA Cup final against Arsenal on May 17. "I have not seen the stamp but I have seen his leg," Giggs said, "and it is bad. It is a joke." Youth Orlando Magic Jerseys . -- Zach Johnson is like most players at the World Challenge, not sure whether hes still playing in 2013 or if hes in the middle of the new wraparound season that officially started in October. Orlando Magic Shop . Instead, Nonis and Kessel were sorting through the fallout of a wild melee with the Buffalo Sabres, one that saw Kessel suspended for the duration of the pre-season. https://www.cheapmagicjerseys.shop/. Although taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles wasnt nearly as uplifting as winning the World Series, it still felt pretty darn good. Felix Doubront and four relievers combined kept Baltimores potent lineup in check, and David Ortiz had three of Bostons 12 hits off Wei-Yin Chen in a 4-3 victory Thursday night. Cheap Orlando Magic Jerseys . -- The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with cornerback Kelvin Hayden. Orlando Magic Jerseys 2021 . LOUIS -- The St.Fancy getting a bit nostalgic with some memories of the first-ever season of the Premier League? The season when Wimbledon, Coventry, Sheffield United and Oldham Athletic were in the top-flight. When Vinnie Jones, Gordon Strachan and John Barnes were integral figures on the pitch.As part of Sky Sports 25th anniversary celebrations, we have dug into the archives and found our first Premier League promo from the 1992/93 season. Featuring a backing track of Simple Minds Alive and Kicking, a number of familiar faces make an appearance in the advert.Among those looking ahead to the first-ever Premier League season are members of the Leeds United team who won the title the year before, the Crazy Gang of Wimbledon and Arsenal and England keeper David Seaman.ddddddddddddWatch the promo in the video above and then see more memories in David Beckhams 25 Years of Sky Sports on Tuesday night at 10.15pm on Sky Sports 1, or see it first On Demand from Monday at 1pm.Also share your favourite moments from 25 years of Sky Sports using #IWasThere on Twitter. Also See: Beckhams best memories Live on Sky Get Sky Sports Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '

DENVER -- Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was activated from the disabled list on Friday after he missed 35 games because of left index finger inflammation. To make roster room for Gonzalez, who was in the starting lineup Friday night against Minnesota, the Rockies optioned right-handed pitcher Jair Jurrjens to their Triple-A affiliate in Colorado Springs. Gonzalez, sidelined since June 3, underwent finger surgery a week later after doctors discovered a benign tumour. "He has some peace of mind with that finger," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "The first part of the season, that finger was blowing up. For no rhyme or reason. All of a sudden, in the middle of the game, he would make solid contact or hit the ball off the end of the bat, that finger would swell up. It was obviously an issue going on." Before rejoining the Rockies, Gonzalez made four rehab appearances with Colorado Springs this week. "Im feeling good," Gonzalez said before the game. "Im happy being back in the lineup. I took my time. Its a slow process. I was careful after the surgery. It paid off." The time off also helped alleviate lingering soreness from left knee tendinitis that had bothered him for much of the season. Gonzalez was batting .255 in 52 games. He entered this season with a career average of .300. "The time off has certainly helped his knee," Weiss said. "It is something that has hindered him from time to time. The time off is going to help that." Gonzalez, who usually plays left field, was slated to start in right field and bat third. "Well see what he can do," Weiss said. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . He, the 25-year-old Toronto backup net-minder and Manitoba native, would be making just his fourth start in the past 16 games against the Jets the following evening. It was the word of opportunity for Reimer, who has fallen into the role of backup, outmatched in recent weeks by Jonathan Bernier, his Quebec counterpart. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season. https://www.cheapjersey.store/. Pominville scored in all three of Minnesotas games last week to help the Wild (8-4-3, 19 points) earn four out of a possible six points. His best performance was in a 4-3 win over Montreal on Friday, where he posted a season-high three points (two goals, one assist), including the game-winning goal. Cheap Jerseys Online . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Vonn flew back to Vail, Colo., last week after hurting her surgically repaired right knee at a downhill race in France. "Her knee was swollen again after Val dIsere," U.S. womens head coach Alex Hoedlmoser told The Associated Press.The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots deflated footballs that were used in their AFC championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts.We are looking into it, league spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote in an email to The Associated Press on Monday. We do not have anything further to add at this point.The inquiry was first reported by the website for WTHR-TV in Indiana, citing an unnamed source.Well co-operate fully with whatever the league wants us to, whatever questions they ask, Belichick said Monday during his regular conference call with reporters.He said he was unaware there was an issue until Monday morning.The Patriots have come under scrutiny with regards to NFL rules in the past, most infamously when they were punished for videotaping sideline signals used by the New York Jets during a 2007 game. Belichick was fined $500,000, and the team was docked $250,000 and stripped of its 2008 first-round draft pick.According to the NFL rule book, home teams are responsible for furnishing playable balls at all times. Each team brings 12 primary balls, while home teams are required to also bring 12 backup balls.Once the referee makes sure the footballs are properly inflated, theyre delivered to ball attendants provided by the home team.The leagues game operations manual notes: If any individual alters the footballs, or if a non-approved ball is used in the game, the person responsible and, if appropriate, the head coach or other club personnel will be subject to discipline, including but not limited to, a fine of $25,000.Deflating a football could change the way it would be gripped by a player or the way it travels through the air.The Pattriots beat the Colts 45-7 to reach the Super Bowl.dddddddddddd. New England will play the defending champion Seattle Seahawks for the NFL title at Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 1.Colts coach Chuck Pagano said he did not notice issues with the football. He did not specify when asked whether the Colts had reported the issue to officials.We talk just like they talk to officials (before the game), we have an opportunity to talk to the officials about a lot of things, things that youve seen on tape like the formations we talked about last week, Pagano said. Every coach in the league gets an opportunity to visit with the officials about that kind of stuff before the game.In Sunday nights lopsided AFC finale, quarterback Tom Brady threw for three touchdowns and running back LeGarrette Blount gained 148 yards while scoring three touchdowns to send New England to its sixth Super Bowl in the past 14 years.Colts quarterback Andrew Luck had his worst game as a pro, completing only 12 of 33 passes for 126 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.On his regular weekly morning-after-game appearance Monday on WEEI radio, Brady said he wasnt aware of the report about the leagues investigation into whether footballs were properly inflated against Indianapolis.I think Ive heard it all at this point, Brady said with a laugh.Thats the last of my worries, he said. I dont even respond to stuff like this.___AP Sports Writers Howard Ulman in Boston and Mike Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '

NEW ORLEANS - Deflated in Detroit one week. Sublime in the Superdome the next.And just like that, Drew Brees and the suddenly resurgent New Orleans Saints have first place in the NFC South division within their immediate grasp.Brees completed 27 of 32 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns, New Orleans defence produced big plays in the clutch and the Saints ended the Green Bay Packers four-game winning streak, 44-23 on Sunday night.Its been a long time coming, Brees said. Obviously, weve had our fair share of struggles early on here. Weve lost some heart-breakers. All we talked about all week long is just coming together as a team and playing a complete game as a team. ... It was a perfect representation of that.Rookie receiver Brandin Cooks had a 50-yard touchdown catch and a 4-yard scoring run, and tight end Jimmy Graham caught a touchdown pass. The Saints (3-4) pulled even in victories with Carolina (3-4-1), setting up a Thursday night showdown for first place in the NFC South.Aaron Rodgers, intercepted only once in Green Bays first seven games, was picked off twice on tipped passes and sacked three times. He still passed for 418 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, but it was not nearly enough to prevent the Packers (5-3) from falling a game behind NFC North leader Detroit.Rodgers, who also complained of a sore hamstring, called the Packers performance uncharacteristic of our team and myself.Just taking points off the board is tough. We had chances, Rodgers said, lamenting three promising first half drives that ended in field goals. We would have had to score 45 to win tonight and we could have if we had done a better job taking care of the football and scoring in the red zone with touchdowns.Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he kept Rodgers in the shot gun formation to help him play through his sore hamstring and thought Rodgers was smart in avoiding exposure to further injury. McCarthy also dismissed the idea that the raucous environment in the Superdome, where the Saints are unbeaten since 2012, was an over-riding factor.I dont think a whole lot of defence was played here tonight, but they got turnovers, McCarthy said.Saints coach Sean Payton wasnt complaining about the 491 net yards his defence gave up, given the big plays the unit produced.Thats one of the best offences in the league, Payton said about Green Bay. That was a good team win in all areas.Except perhaps in the punting game — because there were no punt by either team, marking only the third time thats happened in NFL history. It has now happened twice this season, both times involving Green Bay, starting with the Packers 38-17 victory over Chicago on Sept. 28.Cameron Jordan had two sacks for New Orleans, one which forced a field goal in the first half. Kasim Edebali also had two sacks for New Orleans, his second on reserve QB Matt Flynn, who was in for mop-up duty and fumbled on the play.Brees completed all 11 of his passes in the second half, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Hill, as the Saints improved to 3-0 at home this season. It also marked New Orleans 14th straight victory in a night game in the Superdome. Most of those games werent close, and the latest one followed suit.Green Bay was without two starting defensive backs: cornerback Sam Shields and safety Morgan Burnett. Compounding matters for the Packers defence was the strong running of Mark Ingram, which only made Brees play-action fakes more effective. Carrying a heavy load in the absence of injured running backs Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson, Ingram had 24 carries for a career-high 172 yards and a touchdown.Mark had a fantastic game. I thought we had good balance. Credit the offensive line, Payton said. The balance helped us tonight because we got some advantageous looks with heavy play-action shots downfield out of some run looks.Those included a 45-yard completion to Kenny Stills, which set up Cooks first TD.Packers running back Eddie Lacy, who grew up in the New Orleans area, had 181 yards from scrimmage — including 123 yards on eight catches — but was stopped on fourth-and-short in the third quarter. Soon after, Graham scored his first touchdown since injuring his shoulder in Week 5, giving New Orleans a two-score lead.The Saints first interception came when the Packers were in range of a go-head score early in the third quarter. Cornerback Corey White tipped a pass intended for Andrew Quarless near the goal line and linebacker David Hawthorne caught it. That led to Cooks second TD, which gave the Saints the lead for good.Payton set up New Orleans fourth-down stop by challenging the spot of a reception near the first-down marker. Initially ruled a first down, the spot was moved back a yard, then Hawthorne and defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker stuffed Lacy.White made New Orleans second interception in the fourth quarter.Notes: Green Bays Mason Crosby and New Orleans Shayne Graham each kicked three field goals in the first half, after which the score was tied at 16.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL 2020 Baseball Jerseys .28 mph. Logano will start on the front row next to Penske Ford teammate Brad Keselowski, who came in second Friday at 193.099. The Penske drivers swept the top two spots for the second straight race, reversing their qualifying finish in Phoenix a week ago. Baseball Jerseys Sale . - Andre Drummond had his best night on the boards. https://www.baseballjerseyssale.com/. They wanna make t-shirts about it and sell them at our next hockey game..DB: Wow, they want to make t-shirts? That sounds pretty amazing.MS: Yeah, I was also on the Top 10, I was number 1 today, so that was pretty cool. Cheap Baseball Jerseys . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. China Baseball Jerseys . Costa injured his right thigh muscle against Barcelona last Saturday and had sought treatment in Belgrade from a doctor specializing in using fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells.The Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens will meet for the second time in less than a week, as the clubs complete their season series Sunday at the Bell Centre. You can catch all of the action live on TSN Radio 690 with coverage beginning at 5pm et. The Canadiens posted a 2-1 victory at Calgary on Tuesday, with P.A. Parenteau providing the lone goal of the shootout to lift the Habs past the Flames. It was the second straight win in the series for Montreal, but Calgary still has seven victories over the past 10 meetings. The Flames have struggled in Montreal, losing two of three and six of their last eight in La belle province. The Canadiens, however, followed the recent win over the Flames with Thursdays overtime setback in Vancouver. The 3-2 loss came at the end of a 1-1-1 road trip for the Habs. Montreal hopes to get back on track on home ice, where the Canadiens will play two straight and six of their next seven games. The Habs own a perfect 4-0 mark at the Bell Centre this season. The Canadiens did well to earn a point from Thursdays tilt in B.C. Vancouver led 2-0 after Brad Richardson tallied early in the third period, but Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty both scored in the final 10 minutes of regulation to send the game to OT. It didnt look like it on the scoreboard but we came out with a lot of jump tonight, said Pacioretty. Theres a lot of positives to take from this trip. Daniel Sedin scored the winner for the Canucks at 2:45 of overtime. The decisive goal came on the power play after Montreals Tom Gilbert was called for interference 50 seconds into the extra session. Carey Price stopped 27 shots in the loss and he is expected to start on Sunday. Price is 3-4-0 with a 2.68 goals against average in his career against the Flames. Calgary lost its second straight game in last Tuesdays loss to the Habs, but the Flames snapped the slide with Fridays home victory over Nashville. Johnny Gaudreau scored the deciding goal for the Flames, who used three third- period tallies to fuel a 4-3 comeback victory over the Predators.dddddddddddd Calgary trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes, but Jiri Hudler, T.J. Brodie and Gaudreau all scored in the first seven minutes of the third period to give the Flames control of the game. Hudler tied the game at 2:36 of the third period and Brodie put the Flames in front with a power-play tally less than two minutes later. Gaudreau made it 4-2 Calgary at the 6:37 mark, notching the eventual game-winner before Nashvilles James Neal made it a one-goal game with 9:13 remaining. Tonight was a great job by our guys. Its about momentum, Flames head coach Bob Hartley said. Whenever you can control the puck, that is the best defense. You make plays, youre creative. We encourage everyone on the team to play like this. Sean Monahan and Gaudreau each tallied a goal and an assist for the Flames, while Jonas Hiller made 28 saves for the victory. Hiller stopped 13-of-14 shots in the all-important third period. After becoming the first Flames netminder to start consecutive games in 2014-15 on Friday, Hiller could get the start over Karri Ramo again tonight. Hiller is 2-1-3 with a 2.37 GAA in six career outings against the Canadiens, while Ramo is 1-1-1 with a 3.75 GAA versus Montreal. The Flames recalled Sve Baertschi before the game on Sunday. Calgary is beginning a five-game road trip tonight and is 4-2-0 as the guest this season. Projected Canadiens Lineup: Pacioretty - Desharnais - Weise Eller - Plekanec - Parenteau Bourque - Galchenyuk - Gallagher Moen - Malhotra - Prust Markov - Gilbert Emelin - Subban Beaulieu - Weaver Price Projected Flames Lineup: Hudler - Granlund - Gaudreau Glencross - Monahan - Jones Baertschi - Byron - Setoguchi Bollig - Bouma - McGrattan Giordano - Brodie Russell - Wideman Smid - Diaz Engelland Hiller ' ' '

SAN ANTONIO - Jeff Teague scored 21 points and the Atlanta Hawks closed their preseason schedule with a resounding 117-107 victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.Mike Scott added 19 points while Kyle Korver had 18 for Atlanta (4-3), which shot 52 per cent from the field.Tony Parker had 17 points and seven assists, Cory Joseph added 14 points and Boris Diaw had 12 points for San Antonio (2-4). Tim Duncan played just 13 minutes and the Spurs were missing Kawhi Leonard (eye infection) and Tiago Splitter (calf).There were a combined 50 fouls and 33 turnovers in a sloppy game.The Hawks scored 42 points in the third, the most the Spurs have allowed in a quarter during the preseason.Atlanta took a 64-54 lead on Teagues jumper with 8:43 left in the third quarter. After the Spurs pulled within 69-64 on a three-point play by Parker, the Hawks went on a 21-6 run to take control.Diaws insertion into the starting lineup had helped ignite an offence that has struggled early in the first two home games of the preseason.The Spurs opened the game shooting 3 for 4, including a 20-foot jumper and 3-pointer from Diaw off feeds from Marco Belinelli.Atlanta missed its first five shots, but rallied to shoot 40 for 77.Teague had 11 points in the second quarter, including an 11-foot floating jumper to tie the game at 46 with 1:26 left in the first half.TIP-INSHawks: Atlanta has lost 16 straight regular season games in San Antonio, with its previous victory a 109-89 decision on Feb. 15, 1997. The Hawks play the Spurs Nov. 5 in San Antonio. ... The Hawks averaged 111.3 points in their final three preseason games. ... Atlanta had four players average double figures in the preseason, with Millsap averaging a team-high 13 points six games.Spurs: Duncan is the only player to post at least 10 rebounds in a preseason game, posting that against Alba Berlin on Oct. 8. ... Rookie Kyle Anderson did not play in the first half, but finished with 10 points in 18 minutes. Anderson came in averaging 28.6 minutes per game, trailing only Parker, Duncan and Leonard on the team. ... San Antonio has allowed 100-plus points in four of its last five preseason games, with Sacramento scoring 99 in a seven-point loss Monday.UP NEXTAtlanta visits Toronto on Friday to open its regular season.San Antonio visits Houston on Friday to close its preseason. Youth Orlando Magic Jerseys . Erik Logan, president of the network, said Friday that the postponement was made after meetings with the St. Louis Rams. Orlando Magic Jerseys 2022 . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. https://www.cheapmagicjerseys.shop/., climbed from seventh to fifth spot in womens competition Sunday at the ISU world junior figure skating championships. Orlando Magic Pro Shop . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. Orlando Magic Jerseys 2021 .The South African had three birdies on the front nine and another four after the turn at Leopard Creek Country Club to move to 16-under 128 overall.Grace, who won all four of his European Tour titles in 2012, dropped his only shot of the competition on the par-3 fifth.TAMPA, Fla. - Michael Pineda will be the New York Yankees fifth starter. Manager Joe Girardi announced the decision before Tuesday nights game against Philadelphia. Pineda, who missed the past two seasons after right shoulder surgery, beat out David Phelps, Adam Warren and Vidal Nuno. Pineda has given up three runs and struck out 16 over 15 innings in four games. Girardi said Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka makes his majorr league debut April 4 at Toronto.dddddddddddd CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Ivan Nova are to start the opening series at Houston nexy week, Jacoby Ellsbury, sidelined the past 1 1/2 weeks by right calf tightness, resumed playing and went 1 for 4 with two walks as the designated hitter in a minor league intrasquad game. He had an RBI single and struck out once. Ellsbury expects to be ready for Tuesdays opener. ' ' '