PHOENIX -- Bronson Arroyo had been one of baseballs most reliable pitchers during his 15-year career, fighting off a variety of ailments to take the ball every time his turn came up. When his arm started to get sore and his velocity dropped, even he couldnt keep going. The Arizona Diamondbacks placed Arroyo on the 15-day disabled list with elbow tendinitis on Monday, ending the right-handers run of consecutive starts at 369, the second-longest active streak behind the 443 straight starts by Torontos Mark Buehrle. "Hes had other times in his career when hes been able to overcome things like this, but it wasnt in the cards this time," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. Arroyo has had a solid career with stops in Pittsburgh, Boston and Cincinnati. This off-season, he signed with the Diamondbacks, who hoped he could provide some stability to the rotation. The 37-year-old struggled early in the season while trying to regain his strength after injuring his back during spring training, but rounded into form over the past month or so. Arroyo went 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA over his last three starts, including a win over the Dodgers on Sunday, but had been using deception instead of velocity to get hitters out. Arroyo is most effective when his fastball is in the upper 80s, but his velocity had dipped into the lower 80s, forcing him to work the corners and use more off-speed pitches. Instead of sending him out for another start, the Diamondbacks decided to put him on the shelf so he could get healthy again. "Its really unfortunate when its a guy who has an unblemished record when it comes to posting up each and every time," Arizona GM Kevin Towers said. "But it would have been hard to run him back out there again, going to war as he says, against AK-47s with his little 22. He still found a way to win, which was amazing." Arizona recalled outfielder Roger Kieschnick from Triple-A Reno to fill Arroyos roster spot. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Suomi . The England international raised his middle finger toward Manchester City supporters during Saturdays game at Etihad Stadium, which Arsenal lost 6-3. The incident was not seen by match officials at the time but the FA charged Wilshere retrospectively after a study of video footage. Adidas NMD Cs1 Suomi . Luke Wileman and I stood in the corridor outside of the Vancouver Whitecaps dressing room at BC Place in Vancouver. http://www.nmdhalvalla.com/adidas-gazelle-halvalla.html . His head snapped back from the impact and hit the floor. The All-Star power forward was all right afterward, a relief for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Adidas NMD Suomi . Off-Season Game Plan examines a team facing some challenging times as GM Bryan Murray tries to put together a roster for next season. Perhaps the first challenge facing Murray is that its expected he will be moving out Jason Spezza, a premier point producer who is about to enter the final year of his contract. Adidas Deerupt Kengät . Meeks has agreed to a $19.5 million, three-year deal with Detroit, a person familiar with the situation said Tuesday night. The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because free agents cant sign contracts until the leagues moratorium ends July 10, also said Cartier Martin had agreed to a one-year contract with the rebuilding franchise.Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul was fined $10,000 for his cross-check on Patrick Eaves of the Detroit Red Wings during Wednesdays Winter Classic. Midway through the first period, Lupul was hit by two Red Wings players, including Eaves and knocked to the ice. The Leafs forward retaliated with a cross-check to the neck area of Eaves, who left the game with an uppper-body injury and did not return.dddddddddddd After the game, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press that Eaves will need to be evaluated for a possible concussion. Lupul, who was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking on the play, was suspended two games last season for a head shot on Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning. ' ' '

MINSK, Belarus - Jaromir Jagr would much rather be in the Stanley Cup playoffs than at the world hockey championship, especially three months removed from the Sochi Olympics. "I thought the young guys from Czech Republic were going to play," Jagr said with a wry smile. "Obviously, they didnt. They took a break." Jagr seemingly never takes a break from hockey and never stops smiling on the ice. At age 42 hes by far the oldest player in the tournament yet the ageless winger has as much fun playing now as he did as a young man. "If it wouldnt be, I wouldnt be playing right now," Jagr said Sunday. "I want to have fun. As long as you have fun, everything is a lot easier. But you have to work hard, you have to love the game, and thats what you do." Jagr, who faces Team Canada on Monday night, is still able to play at a high level because of a unique mix of love for the game, Hall of Fame skill and a tireless, quirky work ethic. Signed on for another season with the New Jersey Devils, Jagr doesnt sound like a man whos close to being ready to hang up his skates. Even now after 1,473 NHL games, 1,755 points and two Stanley Cups, he finds new ways to motivate himself. "Its a big challenge to compete with the young guys," Jagr said. "Its not only physically. "You have to be one step ahead of everybody. Theyre going to be quicker, theyre going to be stronger. But I always have to look for the edge. I always have to think a lot more. Anything I practise, everything I do, I have to think before how to do it. Its a big challenge. Thats what I like about it — just outsmart somebody." Long before Jagr had to outsmart anyone, he oozed the kind of skill that made him an all-star early on in his career. For a very brief time in 1992-93, he was even linemates with Dave Tippett on the Pittsburgh Penguins. "He was a very young guy," the 52-year-old Canadian coach said. "I think I spent a couple shifts on his line and he looked at Scotty Bowman and said, No, next, please. " At the world championships, Jagr is on a line with 20-year-old Tomas Hertl, who flashes the same grin on the ice for practice as his idol. Hertl wasnt even born for Jagrs two Cup victories in Pittsburgh, but as a very young boy growing up in Prague he watched every game of the 1998 Nagano Olympics. Hertl could only dream of making it big like Jagr, let alone playing alongside him. "Its unbelievable because its my idol as small guy," Hertl said Saturday. "Im learning. I watch too many games and YouTube and his shot is unbelievable, too many goals." More than that, Jagrs longevity is unbelievable. He has played for the Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and New Jersey. This past season, Jagr was New Jerseys scoring leader with 24 goals and 43 assists. The mutual comfort between Jagr and the Devils organization led him to signing another one-year deal to return for 2014-15. "Im not surprised. I think he really enjoyed the year," Devils coach and Team Canada assistant Peter DeBoer said. "I think he came in and he really is taking it year-to-year at this point in his career. "He played a big role for us, felt important, was a big part of any of the successes we had during the year and I think he wants to do that again." Jagr said this, his ninth world championship, would be his last — but dont rule out maybe one more run when its in the Czech Republic next year. And certainly dont start the farewell tour thinking 2014-15 is definitely his last go-round in the NHL. "I dont know." he said. "If Im gonna play good, why? I love the game." Jaroslav Spacek loved the game, too, but the defencemans body gave out on him and caused him to retire in 2012. Hes two years younger than Jagr but is now an assistant coach for the Czech team and still gets a kick out of seeing Jagr still playing. "Hes using all his free time to work out and get ready for the games," Spacek said. "Hes got no family so hes putting all pressure on himself to be the best hockey player as he can be. "Thats the one thing hes working on it every day. He can get ready for the season even for the world championship, he can take a couple days off but then he comes and works hard. I never see anybody like that." Infamous for skating late at night and sometimes with weights on his body, Jagr is what Tippett would classify as a "hockey junkie." Seeing up close how those things worked, DeBoer wont question any of his techniques. "I marvel at him every day," he said. "He has some different thoughts on his own training and what makes him go. I can tell you theres very few guys, you can probably count on one hand, that are playing at a level that hes playing at at the age hes at." To continue playing at that level, Jagr consciously makes decisions to maximize preparation. Beyond joking hes here because younger players werent, he saw the world championships as a way to help him get ready for next season. "For my body, my age, to have five months or four months without the ice I think would be too long and would be tough to come back and be ready right away," he said. Jagr has to think about those things, but he doesnt feel like a 42-year-old. Being around Hertl and other young players helps him play down in age as he adjusts. But at some point he wont be able to play anymore. When that time is right, Jagr expects to be able to feel it. "You know," he said. "I think you know. Im not ready yet." Follow @SWhyno on Twitter. Fake Custom Jerseys Online . UEFA said Wednesday that the champions of England and France only have to include five home-trained players in their 21-man squads next season instead of the expected eight. Only one of the five players needs to be trained by the club itself. China Custom Jerseys Store . With Van Osch out with a flu bug that has been rampaging through the tournament, Knezevic stepped in to lead B.C. (4-3) to a pair of victories on Tuesday before 1,131 at the Maurice Richard Arena. http://www.jerseyscustom.us/ . Still, its a start. Josh Baileys goal with 1:40 left capped a furious third-period rally, and the Islanders edged the Penguins 4-3 on Friday night. Cheap Custom Jerseys China . - Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored twice and added an assist, and Antoine Bibeau made 43 saves as the Val-dOr Foreur downed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6-3 on Sunday to force Game 7 in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series. Custom Dallas Cowboys Jerseys .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday.Arlington, TX - Malcome Kennedys touchdown catch in overtime helped No. 6 Texas A&M survive a scare with a 35-28 win over Arkansas. The Aggies (5-0, 2-0 SEC) trailed by two touchdowns entering the fourth, but touchdown grabs by Edward Pope and Josh Reynolds rallied Texas A&M, Reynolds 59-yard score tied the game with 2:08 left to sset up overtime.dddddddddddd Texas A&M began overtime with the ball and the first play saw Kenny Hill rifle a pass over the middle where Kennedy caught the ball and ran it in for a 35-28 lead. Arkansas (3-2, 0-2) quickly faced a 4th-and-1, but Alex Collins was stuffed at the line and the Aggies held on for the win. ' ' '

CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber began the season as one of the question marks in Clevelands rotation. The right-hander ends May as one of the top pitchers in the American League. Kluber struck out 12 in 7 1-3 innings to continue his dominant pitching in May and the Indians beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Friday night. "Its fun to write his name in the lineup every five days," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He continues to get better and better. Hes got power, movement and command. Hes pretty good." Kluber (6-3) has been a lot better than pretty good. Other than giving up a two-run homer in the fourth inning to Carlos Gonzalez, he was in complete control of the highest-scoring offence in the NL. He recorded his third double-figure strikeout game this season and ends the month with a 4-0 record and a 2.09 ERA in six starts. Kluber, who struck out a career-high 13 on May 4 against the Chicago White Sox, finished the month with 60 strikeouts in 43 innings. The right-hander allowed five hits with one walk and was given a standing ovation by the crowd of 25,066 when he was pulled after retiring the first batter in the eighth. "To do it against that lineup tonight -- thats a very difficult lineup to strike out," Francona said. "Thats as much, or more impressive as anything, to do it against that team." Kluber, who rarely shows any emotion when hes on the mound, downplayed his accomplishments and says he wasnt aware that he leads the AL with 95 strikeouts. "I had no idea, honestly," he said. "I keep saying when you guys ask me that strikeouts are a by-product of making good pitches. Im not going out there trying to strike guys out." Kluber was given several ovations as his strikeout totals rose, but he remained focused on the task at hand. "Im kind of locked in when Im out there," he said. "I dont really notice." Asdrubal Cabreras two-run homer broke a fifth-inning tie. The Indians snapped a four-game losing streak while the Rockies fell to 2-5 on their nine-game trip. Colorado didnt have a hit through three innings, but Corey Dickerson led off the fourth with a double and Gonzalez homered to right-centre on an 0-1 pitch with one out. "It was a changeup, belt high down the middle, it wasnt a good pitch," Kluber said. Rockies manager Walt Weiss, who was ejected in the sixth inning, was impressed. "That nasty breaking ball, and we knew he did coming in, but he commanded it and it was a good one," Weiss said. "It was hard and late and hes on a good run. And he threw well again tonight." Cleveland chased Juan Nicasio (5-3) with a four-run fifth. Michael Bourns single tied the game before Cabreras homer put Cleveland ahead. Lonnie Chisenhall, who drove in two runs, added an RBI double. Kluber struck out the side in the third. He took control after Gonzalezs homer in the fourth. Seven of the next nine outs were strikeouts and he got Charlie Culberson to bounce into a double play to end the seventh. Cody Allen pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Gonzalez returned to the lineup after not starting Wednesday because of a sore right calf. He fouled a pitch off his leg Tuesday and left the game, and was limited to pinch-hitting duties Wednesday. His home run snapped an 0-for-11 slump, but Colorado has 16 runs in the first seven games of the trip and is 5 for 51 with runners in scoring position. The Rockies frustration boiled over in the sixth when Michael Cuddyer was called out on strikes by plate umpire John Tumpane. Cuddyer angrily argued the call before being pulled away. Weiss continued the argument and was ejected for the first time in his managerial career. Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fifth-inning double and has hit in 19 consecutive home games, a Progressive Field record. Jason Kipnis second-inning single snapped an 0-for-15 slump. He returned Wednesday after missing 25 games with a strained right oblique. NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (broken finger) visited doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, who confirmed the diagnosis of Colorado team doctors that he wont need surgery. The plan is to let the finger heal on its own and theres no timetable for his return. ... Indians 3B/C Carlos Santana (concussion) said hes feeling better, but doesnt know when hell resume physical activities. He was placed on the 7-day DL Tuesday. ... Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister (sore back) threw a simulated game Friday and is scheduled to throw on the side Sunday. ... Rockies LHP Franklin Morales faces RHP Trevor Bauer on Saturday. Paul George Shoes Deals .C. Lions signed cornerback Dante Marsh to a contract extension on Friay and released receiver Paris Jackson. Paul George Shoes For Sale . The Big Man finished 3-1 in Week 19, and sits at 53-24 on the season. Now Schultz is ready for more action. https://www.cheappaulgeorgeshoes.com/ ." The tournament was set to be held Sept. 15-21 and would have been the first ATP tournament held in Israel since 1996. But amid Israels military campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, ATP President Chris Kermode said "we do not feel we can proceed as planned given the situation in the region. Paul George Shoes Free Shipping . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless at 3pm. Rick Ralph hosts the Official Jets Pre-game Show at 5pm. Paul George Shoes Outlet . -- Terrelle Pryor took the opening snap of the game, put the ball in Darren McFaddens belly and saw LaMarr Woodley crash down.Andy Murray will know things will not be easy for him in the opening Monte Carlo Masters quarter-final against Milos Raonic, live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Friday. His Canadian opponent took him to five sets in the Australian Open semi-final earlier this year and has three wins to Murrays four when the pair have faced each other over the years.Raonic, however, may be hampered by a troublesome adductor muscle which he tore earlier in the year. The 25-year-old was forced to call for a medical time-out just as he was about to serve to stay in the match in his third set against qualifier Damir Dzumhur on Thursday.After a massage, Raonic was able to hold his serve and gingerly take the tie break to win 6-4 3-6 7-6(5). Highlights of British number one Andy Murrays round three match against Benoit Paire at the Monte Carlo Masters Murray is the tournament favourite following Novak Djokovics shock defeat to Czech world No 55 Jiri Vesely on Wednesday,Djokovics conqueror Vesely went down tamely 6-1 6-2 to Frenchman Gael Monfils, who now faces Spaniard Marcel Granollers on Friday. Sixteenth seed Monfils is favourite to win but Granollers leads the pair in head-to-head contests 3-1 and has not defeated the Spaniard since 2009.One to watchRafael Nadal won a staggering eight Monte Carlo titles in a row between 2005 and 2012, but has just one final appearance to showw from his last three visits.ddddddddddddOnce nigh-on unplayable on clay, Nadal has struggled to rediscover consistent form and keep clear of injury in the past two years and faces fourth seed Stan Wawrinka in the second quarter-final. Rafael Nadal serves to Dominic Thiem What promises to be an enthralling tussle could well see crowd favourite Nadal, who has looked good so far this tournament, beaten by his Swiss opponent, who will be seeking his second Monte Carlo title.Wawrinka conquered Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final to claim the first of his two Grand Slams, and is reigning French Open champion having defeated Djokovic in the climax on the same surface at Roland Garros,Since losing his first 12 matches against Nadal, Wawrinka has won three of their past five encounters.Surprise in storeRoger Federer leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 11-5 in head-to-heads but the sometimes mercurial Frenchman can raise his game to heights that will trouble the Swiss holder of 17 Grand Slam titles.Federer has at times appeared back to his best as he has cruised through the early rounds at Monte CarloThe pair faced each other at this stage two years ago and on that occasion Federer won 2-6 7-6(6) 6-1.But the last time they met, in that years Canadian Masters final, Tsonga took the honours with a 7-5 7-6(3) victory.In case you missed itMurray had to fight back from the brink of defeat after being broken in the final set by Benoit Paire before breaking back to eventually win 2-6 7-5 7-5.Fifth seed Nadal had a tough first set before defeating a battling Dominic Thiem 7-5 6-3 to set up his quarter-final against Wawrinka.You can watch all the action from Monte Carlo, live on Sky Sports 1 from 9.30am on Friday morning.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: ATP schedule Tennis on Sky Latest scores Get a NOW TV pass Video ' ' '

The Edmonton Eskimos have cut ties with import defensive back Chris Thompson. Thompson is released by the team after five seasons with the Eskimos, recording 187 tackles and nine interceptions. The Division All-Star has also spent time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Kobe Bryant Shoes Free Shipping . However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand. Clearance Kobe Bryant Shoes . He was with the New York Jets in 2011 when the NFL locked out their players after they failed to agree on a new contract. Willy went undrafted but was given a look by four NFL teams before heading north. https://www.cheapkobebryantshoes.com/ . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday. Cheap Kobe Bryant Shoes .com) - Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant combined for 51 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder took down the struggling Bucks 114-101 on Tuesday. Wholesale Kobe Bryant Shoes .Y. -- Nothing seems to phase No.Newcastle do not want to sell France star Moussa Sissoko, manager Rafael Benitez has insisted. The 26-year-old midfielder, who starred for France in the Euro 2016 final, has declared he wants to leave St James Park this summer.Sky Sports News HQ understands the Magpies have told other clubs they will have to pay £35m to sign him this summer, but Sissoko hopes that interested clubs will know how to find common ground over his transfer fee. Yet Benitez said on Tuesday: People are talking about this price or this price but we dont want to sell, so we havent put any price. Sky Sports Fantasy Football Who makes your XI this season? Pick your team here to win the ￡25k jackpot We are pleased with him. We know he finished the season in really good form for us - I made himm the captain - so I rate him really highly.ddddddddddddI appreciate him too much to think that we will miss him. We know he has done really well and a lot of people will be talking about him. But wed like to see him here and thats it. Sissoko starred for France in the Euro 2016 final defeat to Portugal Im really disappointed because France couldnt win the final but I was really pleased for Sissoko, though, because he was doing really well.Sissoko joined Newcastle from French club Toulouse in 2013 and has made 118 Premier League appearances. Also See: Sissoko wants quick transfer Toon slap ￡35m price on Sissoko Newcastle transfers 2016-17 Hanley will cost Magpies ￡6m ' ' '

WUHAN, China -- Caroline Garcia followed up her first-round win over Venus Williams with a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) upset win over fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday at the inaugural Wuhan Open. The 20-year-old Frenchwoman went for broke, continuing to hit big ground strokes despite piling up unforced errors as she tried to keep Radwanska on the back foot. Its pretty different game between Venus and Radwanska, but I did the same game for myself, Garcia said. Against these kind of girls like Radwanska you have to do (this kind) of game ... sometime you can miss, but I knew it was the only way I can win this today. In first-round matches, No. 10 Jelena Jankovic beat Christina McHale of the United States 6-4, 6-4 and No. 11 Sara Errani of Italy reeled off the last six games to beat Heather Watson of Britain 7-5, 6-4. Ninth-seeded Ana Ivanovic, who won the title in Tokyo on the weekend, was among the four seeded players who lost on Monday. She retired with a thigh problem when Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was serving for the match at 7-5, 6-5, while No. 12 and Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova retired with a left ankle problem at the start of the third set after splitting the first two sets with American Madison Keys. Sabine Lisicki of Germany beat No. 14 Lucie Safarova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 and Australian qualifier Jarmila Gajdosova ousted No. 15 Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-4. Mona Barthel of Germany beat crowd favourite Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 7-6 (1) and Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic had a 6-4, 6-4 win over former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur. Among those advancing were Alize Cornet of France, Casey Dellacqua of Australia, Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain and U.S. player Coco Vandeweghe, who beat Annika Beck of Germany 6-3, 6-2. Almost all the WTAs top 20 players are in Wuhan, with the notable exception of hometown player Li Na, who announced her retirement last Friday. The strength of the field and the more than $2 million on offer in prize money reflect the importance the womens tour continues to place on the booming Asian tennis market. Wuhan is one of three new WTA-level tournaments added in China this year, along with Hong Kong and Tianjin. The newcomers bring the total number of tournaments in China to six -- behind only the United States, which has eight. The season-ending WTA Championship was also moved this year to Singapore through 2018. All the additions mean that the elite players are spending a considerable amount of time in Asia in coming months. Maria Sharapova, who was due to play her opening match later Monday against fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, credited the success of two-time major winner Li and her massive appeal in China for the WTAs push into Asia. I think she was one of the biggest reasons why there is such an international tournament in Wuhan. She brought all of us here, so I think its a little extra sad that she wont be participating this year, Sharapova said. Buy NMD NZ .com) - Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and second in as many nights as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Friday. Stan Smith NZ . Chan captured two silver medals at last months Sochi Winter Games — mens singles and the inaugural team event. But he doesnt have the urge to resume training to defend his world title when the event is held in Saitama, Japan, later this month. http://www.nmdshoesnz.com/ . Some teams got significantly better, some teams divested themselves of talent and some teams had quiet afternoons, keeping the status quo. Superstar Shoes NZ . Johnny Manziel, college footballs most entertaining player with the reputation for pulling off magical plays, was selected with the No. Adidas Originals NMD R1 NZ . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. METAIRIE, La. -- The NFL Players Association confirmed Wednesday that it filed a grievance on behalf of Jimmy Graham concerning the Saints tight ends franchise tag designation. At issue is whether the NFL was correct to apply the tight end tag to Graham or whether Graham should have received the more lucrative wide receiver tag, a difference of $5 million. The NFLs current collective bargaining agreement states that a player should be tagged according to the position at which he lined up most often. Graham and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, are contending that the frequency with which Graham lined up split out from the line merits the $12.3 million receivers franchise tag, not the $7 million tight end tag. No date for a grievance hearing has been set, but the filing alone could provide Graham with a measure of additional leverage as he seeks to have his franchise tag designation removed in favour of a long-term extension. July 15 is the final day a team can sign 2014 franchise players to long-term extensions. Grahams agent, Jimmy Sexton, did not return a message seeking comment on the matter. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday there had been no progress to report on negotiations with Graham. The Saints have asserted that lining up split from the line is a significant part of every tight ends job descripttion.dddddddddddd When asked in January whether the Saints viewed Graham as a tight end under the leagues CBA, Loomis responded: "Isnt that what we drafted him as? Isnt that what he made the Pro Bowl as? Thats what we see him as -- a tight end. "The tight end has always been part of the passing game," Loomis continued. "Hes part of the running game. So hes part of both. So are receivers. So are running backs." According to an analysis by ESPN Stats and Information, Graham lined up split out from the line on 67 per cent of his snaps -- 45 per cent of the time in the slot and 22 per cent out wide. Unless the Saints and Graham pre-emptively agree on a long-term deal, an arbitrator may have to decide whether those numbers alone, under the language of the CBA, would require the league to apply the receiver designation to Graham. If so, it likely would set a precedent for negotiations involving other tight ends who figure prominently in their teams passing games, and could substantially lower the franchise tag number for tight ends who more often line up next to offensive tackles. It could also affect other positions in which players have varying roles, most notably some outside linebackers in a 3-4 defensive scheme, who could argue their right to receive the higher defensive end tag. ' ' '

A total of 24 fillies, headed by Minding, remain in the reckoning for the Investec Oaks, but there were few surprises at the latest confirmation stage for the £450,000 Classic contest. Minding is the 4/7 favourite with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, following an easy three-and-a-half-length victory in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1.A total of 47 fillies have gone on from winning that race to take the Oaks, but none since Kazzia in 2002. Mindings trainer Aidan OBrien is responsible for another nine of the possible starters, including Group One scorer Ballydoyle, who was runner-up to her stablemate at Newmarket, and Chester scorer Somehow.Jim Bolger is responsible for the two other Irish-trained acceptors in Turret Rocks and Siamsaiocht. Turret Rocks captured the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September and was not disgraced behind Minding on her reappearance at Newmarket, finishing sixth.Four of the possible runners take each other on in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood on Thursday. Snow Fairy captured the same 10-furlong contest in 2010 before going on to win the Oaks.Charlie Hills saddles the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned filly Zaakhir. The daughter of Ravens Pass is defending an unbeaten record, having captured a mile maiden at Kempton Park in November.Hills said: We were expecting a good run from Zaakhir when she won at Kempton and she has been in good form this spring.She will have to win on Thursday or otherwise she wont be going for the Investec Oaks.The line-up also features is another unbeaten filly in Cajoled (George Scott), who captured a handicap at Nottingham last time out, The Black Princess (John Gosden) and September Stars (Ralph Beckett).Newmarket-based George Scott revealed: When we entered Cajoled for the Investec Oaks she was a maiden winner and since then she won nicely at Nottingham so it would have been unfair to take her out.She goes for the Height Of Fashion Stakes and from there a decision will be made. In my heart of hearts, I think she might be more of Sandringham Stakes (run over a mile at Royal Ascot) filly at this stage but tomorrow will tell us more.It is an acid test and I am pretty realistic about how much she has got to improve to step into that grade, but I have been delighted with her since Nottingham. I had left plenty to work on as I wanted the race to bring her on.I think a mile and a quarter will suit her well. She is a High Chaparral filly out of Kingmambo mare and there is no reason why she should not get it but beyond that I would not be sure. If she can show the turn of foot she showed at Nottingham, albeit at a lesser grade, over a mile and quarter then there is every chance she will be quite effective at that level.Ralph Beckett, with two Investec Oaks winners already to his name, has also confirmed Diamonds Pour Moi, who was runner-up in the Listed Cheshire Oaks, and Mountain Bell, third in the Listed Lingfield Park Oaks Trial.Weve left Diamonds Pour Moi in, but Id want the ground to be soft, Beckett told At The Races.She might take her chance anyway but for us to think she has a chance, the ground would have to be slow. Shes a tough filly and shell stay and shell handle the track, so it might be worth rolling the dice.I wasnt as happy with Mountain Bell going into Lingfield as I had been going to Windsor when she won her maiden.We felt we had to run as the ground was right and it looked the right spot for her. Shell work next week and well see how we feel.Other eye-catching acceptors include Group Three Musidora Stakes runner-up Fireglow (Mark Johnston), plus Beautiful Morning (Luca Cumani) and Architecture (Hugo Palmer), who were second in trials at Newbury and Lingfield Park respectively. Also See: Live results service Full racecards Get Sky Sports Darryl Kile Astros Jersey . Halak, 28, split his eighth NHL seasons between the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals, compiling a 29-13-7 record in 52 games. Brad Lidge Jersey . Third-place Madrid fell behind and settled for a 2-2 draw earlier at Osasuna in a match both sides finished with 10 men, and Barcelona didnt let the chance escape. Barcelona, still without the injured Lionel Messi, again turned to Neymar after his hat trick against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday to convert a penalty on the half-hour mark and restore the lead in the 68th after Villarreal levelled. https://www.cheapastros.com/733o-aledmys-diaz-jersey-astros.html . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. Justin Verlander Astros Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. Wholesale Astros Jerseys . -- A year ago, Flavia Pennetta was close to retiring from tennis.MOSCOW -- The Russian figure skating federation says Olympic gold medallists Adelina Sotnikova, and Maxim Trankov and Tatiana Volosozhar wont be going to this months world championships in Japan. In a statement on the federations website, president Alexander Gorshkov says the federation decided not to send Sotnikova in order to give her a chance to rest and prepare for nnext season.dddddddddddd Trankov and Volosozhar chose not to enter the worlds. Russias entries in the womens division of the worlds will be Julia Lipnitskaia, who helped Russia win gold in the team skating event, and Anna Pogorilaya. The pairs entries will be Sochi silver medallists Ksenia Stolbova and Fyodor Klimov, and Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov. ' ' '

BOSTON -- A year after the Boston Marathon bombings, the Red Sox had plenty of chances to make a special day even more memorable. They almost succeeded. Boston scored one run in each of the last three innings -- stranding runners in scoring position in all of them -- -- in a 7-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in Mondays traditional Patriots Day morning game Not bad, though, considering the Red Sox trailed 6-0 after three innings. "Our guys battled and fought and did a good job of making a game of it and it came down to the last pitch," David Ross said. "We did a good job of representing Red Sox baseball today. We just want to win, obviously, for the fans and the whole situation." Boston beat Tampa Bay 3-2 in last years Patriots Day game. About 40 minutes after the final out, two bombs went off near the marathon finish line a little over a mile from Fenway Park, killing three spectators. This year, Mondays game began at 11:09 a.m., 12 hours, 28 minutes after Bostons 6-5 win ended Sunday night. "Once you show up here, we have a job to do," Baltimores Adam Jones said. "It doesnt matter what time it is." The game started about an hour before Meb Keflezighi crossed the finish line as the first American man to win the Marathon since Greg Meyer in 1983. A long, loud cheer went up when the result of the race was shown on the centre field video screen. Bostons Mike Napoli called Monday "a special day." "Of course, you want to go out there and win," he said. That seemed unlikely when Baltimore scored six runs off Clay Buchholz in the third inning. The Red Sox, who overcame a 5-0 deficit Sunday, started to come back again. "It never seems to be enough against these guys," said Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis, who fielded Mike Carps grounder and stepped on first for the last out. "They claw and battle and continue to score runs and put pressure on us to score more runs." Boston loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on a single by Brock Holt, a double by Dustin Pedroia and an intentional walk to David Ortiz. One run scored on Napolis groundout to second before Tommy Hunter escaped with his fifth save. Nothing special for Hunter. "Its another inning, another game," he said. "I was actually pretty calm." Wei-Yin Chen (3-1) and five relievers pitched well enough for Baltimore to gain a split of the four-game series. Baltimore started the third with consecutive singles by Steve Lombardozzi, David Lough, Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Davis that produced three runs. Jones drove in another on a forceout at second base before a run-scoring double by Steve Clevenger and an RBI single by Jonathan Schoop made it 6-0 and knocked out Buchholz (0-2). Buchholz had slept over at Fenway Park after Sunday nights game and doesnt regret the decision. "Id have had to wake up earlier than I did here to get here this morning," he said, "so that had nothing to do with it." Boston cut the lead in half with three runs in the fifth on RBI doubles by Jackie Bradley Jr. and Pedroia and a sacrifice fly by Holt. In the seventh, Boston made it 6-4 on Ross first homer and then had a chance to go ahead after Holt singled and Pedroia walked. But Ortiz hit an inning-ending groundout. Ryan Flahertys RBI single in the eighth made it 7-4 before Napolis solo homer in the bottom half. Singles by Xander Bogaerts and Daniel Nava put runners at first and second with one out, but pinch-hitter Jonathan Herrera struck out as the runners took off and Bogaerts was tagged between second and third. "It takes some added energy," Boston manager John Farrell said of the repeated comeback attempts. "Wed certainly like to get the offence going a little bit earlier rather than having to dig out of a hole." NOTES: Marc Fucarile, who lost his right leg in last years Boston Marathon bombing, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He was married in Fenway Park last Thursday. ... Bostons jerseys had the word "BOSTON" on the front instead of the usual "RED SOX." ... Davis singled and walked twice and tied his career-high by reaching base in 17 straight games. ... The Red Sox send Jon Lester (2-2) to the mound Tuesday night for the start of a three-game home series against the Yankees. Masahiro Tanaka (2-0) pitches for New York. The Orioles will start Miguel Gonzalez (1-1) against R.A. Dickey (1-3) of the Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series at Toronto. Fake China Shoes .Y. -- That hangover from the Big East tournament is gone for Villanova. China Shoes Jordans . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. https://www.chinashoesshop.com/ . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. China Shoes Wholesale . 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. China Shoes Nike .J. - New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara left Monday nights game against the Indianapolis Colts with a torn biceps.DAVIE, Fla. - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers. Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes took in the scene and allowed himself a long yawn. With the first game more than six weeks away, the Dolphins tempered their excitement Friday regarding the 2014 season. Even so, every team is undefeated and optimistic in July, and the Dolphins were no different as they opened camp. "We want to play deep into January and February," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "Our goal is to win the division and play in the playoffs. Anything less than that is not up to our standards." Actually, thats way above the Dolphins recent standards. They havent made the playoffs since 2008, which is also their most recent winning season. They needed to win only one of their final two games last season but lost both by a combined score of 39-7 to finish 8-8. Tannehill and coach Joe Philbin are back for their third season with the team, but a woeful offensive line has been overhauled, theres more depth at receiver and running back, and the defence has the potential to be excellent. "We want to win. Thats what were all here for," new general manager Dennis Hickey said. "Were really excited about this team and what theyre going to be able to accomplish." Some prognosticators rank the Dolphins among the NFLs worst teams, but owner Stephen Ross anticipates post-season play. "I dont think I start any season without wanting to make the playoffs," Ross said. "If you dont have those expectations, you shouldnt be in the game. You own a team because you want to create a winner." On a 90-degree day, Philbin was already on the hot seat, and Ross was asked if the coach must make the playoffs to keep his job. "Im not going to say here he has to, because I can understand what the headlines would be," Ross said. "I like Joe Philbin very much. Im expecting Joe Philbin to be here a long time. But every year you want to see improvement." The Dolphins desperately need a better locker-room culture after a troubled relationship beetween offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin led to a bullying scandal that sent the franchise reeling.dddddddddddd Incognito and Martin are gone, and the Dolphins brought in outside consultants for training sessions with players to foster better leadership. Centre Mike Pouncey, implicated in the scandal, said the culture will be much healthier this season. "Coach Philbin and Mr. Ross have done a bunch of things to change that," Pouncey said. "Right now were heading in the right direction. Everyone has bought into the way we want it done around here." As anticipated, Pouncey (hip) and running back Knowshon Moreno (knee) began camp on the physically unable to perform list. Both worked on the side Friday, and while Pouncey is expected to miss at least a couple of games, he said hes ahead of schedule in his recovery. Moreno, who signed a $3.275 million, one-year contract after a breakout season with Denver last year, is expected to join practice sometime during camp. Every other player passed his conditioning test. Defensive end Dion Jordan practiced and will be allowed to play in exhibition games, even though he has been suspended for the first four games of the season after testing positive for a stimulant prohibited by the NFL. Receiver Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson were back on the field after recovering from knee injuries last season. Koa Misi remained at middle linebacker after moving there from the outside as an off-season experiment deemed successful. The first practice was predictably sloppy. With Pouncey out, quarterback Ryan Tannehill dropped at least three snaps. He misfired deep to Mike Wallace — a frequent occurrence last year — the first time he threw long, but they later connected on a 40-yard throw that brought a cheer from spectators. While the stands were only half full, season-ticket sales are up, and the first three home games are projected to be sellouts. "Miami wants to support a winner," Ross said. "We start winning, well have a lot more support, and there will be a lot more enthusiasm." ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '

The season is not quite done yet for a pair of Toronto Maple Leafs players. Goaltender James Reimer and defenceman Morgan Rielly have agreed to represent Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Championship. The 26-year-old Reimer appeared in 36 games for the Leafs this season, posting a 12-16-1 record with a 3.29 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Rielly, 20, posted two goals and 25 assists through 73 games this season, finishing the season second among all rookie NHL defencemen in assists and sixth in points at 27. Toronto finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 38-36-8 record. Reimer previously represented Canada at the 2011 World Championship, posting a 3-0 record with a .920 save percentage. Canada would finish fifth at the tournament. The Morweena, Man. native was also selected to represent Canada at the World Under-18 Championships but did not play due to injury. Rielly, a Vancouver native, has represented Canada at both the 2011 Under-18s and 2013 World Juniors, finishing fourth at both tournaments. The World Championship begins May 9 in Minsk, Belarus. Canada has been drawn into Group A alongside Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . The Mets made the announcement Sunday night. Parnell blew a save on opening day against Washington and the next day it was revealed he had partially torn right elbow ligament. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys . The 18-year-old Januzaj has made his breakthrough at United this season, including scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Sunderland before the recent international break. His performances have sparked a debate about where his international future lies. http://www.jerseyscheapcustom.com/ . Canada Day is here and with it comes Free Agent Frenzy as the NHLs 30 teams storm out of the gate for signing season. Cheap Jerseys From China . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fake China Jerseys . The 24-year-old right winger has one assist in nine games this season with the Sabres. In his career, he has three goals and six assists in 43 NHL games.MOSCOW -- Vladislav Tretiak has won a contest between two Russian ice hockey greats to be re-elected as president of the national federation. Soviet-era goaltender Tretiak, who is close to the countrys influential Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, defeated Viacheslav Fetisov by 125 votes to 11 at the federation conference on Wednesday. Tretiak wins a third consecutive four-year term in a position he has held since 2006, despite the federation coming in for critiicism after Russias defeat in the quarterfinals of the Sochi Olympics.dddddddddddd He is a longtime proponent of allowing fewer foreign players at Russian clubs so that local prospects get more ice time. Fetisov, a multiple Olympic, world, and Stanley Cup champion defenceman, has accused Tretiak of allowing Russias youth hockey development to wither, and backed a more liberal approach to foreign players to help clubs compete internationally. ' ' '

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With the Anaheim Ducks bearing down on him all night, Jaroslav Halak couldnt relax for even a moment in front of the Washington Capitals net until the horn sounded on another victory. None of the Caps can afford to take many more breathers if they hope to make it back to the post-season. Alex Ovechkin scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, and the Capitals kept up their playoff push with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night. Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer also scored for the Capitals, who have won three straight to pull into an eighth-place tie with Columbus for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They barely held off the Ducks, who threw 45 shots at Halak and pressed right up to the final seconds. "We cant worry about anything else thats going to happen except for our games," said Halak, who made 43 saves in his sixth consecutive start. "Right now, two points are all huge, any way we can get them." The Caps havent trailed during their winning streak. But even after Ovechkin scored his 46th goal early in a power play, they were in a nail-biter against Anaheim. "That was a huge game," Ovechkin said. "We prepared for it, and we were ready for it. We played one of the best teams in the league." Ovechkins goal was just the second in seven games for last seasons NHL MVP, but the Capitals need every goal and victory possible on their three-game California road trip. The Blue Jackets and Detroit, one point back in ninth place, both have two games in hand on Washington. Ben Lovejoy and Mathieu Perreault scored for the Ducks, who have lost four straight home games while falling out of first place in the overall NHL standings. Anaheim is still near the top of the Western Conference playoff race, but San Jose has caught the Ducks atop the Pacific Division standings. The teams meet Thursday at the Shark Tank. Jonas Hiller stopped 27 shots, but the Ducks have lost to the Capitals in each of their last four visits to Honda Center. "I think we had a lot of looks and were shooting the puck, but we werent getting to any loose pucks," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "You can make a million and one excuses, but were just not getting the job done." Washington hadnt visited Honda Center since Feb. 16, 2011, nine months before the Capitals fired Boudreau, who was hired by Anaheim two days later. "This was a big one for Bruce, and we all knew it," Lovejoy said. "I think we came out with a lot of passion. When were skating and playing tough hockey, we get our forecheck going, and we had that going tonight. We just werent able to put more than two in the net." Ward got his 21st goal on a fat rebound just 2:11 in, scoring in his third consecutive game. Lovejoy tied it 59 seconds later on an unobstructed slap shot set up by a terrible Washington line change. Brouwer scored on a power play in the final seconds of the first period for the Caps, getting his third goal in two games off another rebound. Anaheim generated nothing from a two-man advantage for 1:51 early in the second period, adding to the power-play woes of an otherwise powerful offensive club. The Ducks entered the game in a 2-for-42 slump in their previous 13 games, and they went scoreless in their first four chances against Washington. "At the end, it came down to the fact that our special teams werent special," Lovejoy said. Perreault, the former Capitals centre, put a wrist shot past Halak, who was thoroughly screened by Patrick Maroon, to tie it right after a power play expired early in the third period. But just 1:12 later, Nicklas Backstrom won a faceoff and John Carlson got the puck to Ovechkin, who put a typically vicious one-timer past Hiller. Stephane Robidas played more than 13 minutes in his debut for the Ducks, who acquired the veteran defenceman from Dallas two weeks ago for the playoff push. Robidas filled in for Cam Fowler, who missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. "It wasnt my best, but the first one is out of the way now," Robidas said. NOTES: Dustin Penner returned to Honda Center for the first time since Anaheim traded him to Washington on March 4. Penner had 13 goals and 19 assists in 49 games this season in his second stint with the Ducks, but was a frequent healthy scratch. ... Halak was in Anaheim with the Blues on Feb. 28 when he was traded to Buffalo, forcing him to leave Honda Center early while St. Louis faced the Ducks with a locker room attendant as their backup goalie. ... Boudreau won his first game against his former team when the Ducks beat the Capitals 3-2 on Dec. 23. Hakeem Butler Cardinals Jersey .com) - Bradley Beals 22 points and seven rebounds helped the Washington Wizards erase a halftime deficit and top the Utah Jazz, 93-84, on Sunday. Kurt Warner Youth Jersey . -- Ben Bishop had a milestone game against one of the NHLs greatest goalies. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Haason-Reddick-Jersey/ .com) - Real Madrid claimed its 16th consecutive victory across all competitions on Saturday after earning a 2-1 win over Malaga at the Estadio La Rosaleda. Kyler Murray Cardinals Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. Kurt Warner Womens Jersey . While Chelsea stayed two points behind leader Arsenal courtesy of Etoos hat trick, seventh-place United slipped 14 points from the summit this weekend. And the gap from the Champions League places is growing as well, with Liverpool six points ahead in fourth. VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Rory McIlroy put aside the anguish in his private life to win the European Tours flagship BMW PGA Championship on Sunday. The double major winner came from seven shots back at the start of the final round to shoot a 6-under 66 and win by 1 stroke with an overall 14-under 274 on the Wentworth course. It was McIlroys first European Tour success since December 2012 and ends a run of eight second-place finishes in 11 events this season. Shane Lowry of Ireland came second with a round of 68 for a 13-under 275. Denmarks Thomas Bjorn (75) shared third place on 12 under with Englands two-time BMW PGA winner Luke Donald (70). McIlroys 12th victory worldwide comes four days after the 25-year old Northern Irishman confirmed the breakdown in his relationship with Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. McIlroy had been close to tears on Wednesday when talking to the media. He was still subdued Sunday despite his victory though he hugged his father Gerry and long-time coach Michael Bannon. "I guess when I got inside the ropes this week, it was a little bit of a release, and I was on my own and doing what I do best, which is playing golf, and that sort of gave me four or five hours of serenity or sanctuary or whatever you want to call it," McIlroy said. "I was just focusing on the job at hand which was to play golf and get the ball in the hole in the lowest number of shots possible ... Its obviously been a week of very mixed emotions, but Im sitting here looking at this trophy going, How the hell, how did it happen this week? But it did." It was McIlroys first success since coming from behind to win Decembers Australian Open in Sydney. He heads into next months U.S. Open as a strong contender to win the event for a second time in four years. "The win at the end of laast year in Australia sort of stopped all the questions about equipment and about struggling and slump and all this stuff," McIlroy said.dddddddddddd "But to win here, against a great field, one of the best fields of the year, especially in Europe sort of cements that, and shows where my game is and Im on the right track again. Hopefully, it wont be long before Im contending in majors and having a chance to win those again." Lowry went into the last day some five shots behind third round leader Bjorn but found himself in front when Bjorn took a triple bogey 7 at the par four No. 6. After three birdies in a row from the 10th, Lowry had his own troubles in taking a double bogey at the par four 13th. However, the former Irish Open and Portugal Masters winner regrouped to birdie the 14th and, while he dropped a shot at the next, the 26-year-old Lowry holed a 30-foot birdie at the last to secure second place on his own. "Im happy but I know I am going to be sitting in my hotel room tonight and the 13th hole is going to be going through my head," Lowry said. The 43-year-old Bjorn went into the last day with history on his side as no player had lost at this European Tour event after leading by five shots. By the ninth hole Bjorn had forfeited his advantage -- taking a bogey at No. 5, triple bogey at the sixth where he failed to get out of a greenside bunker in regulation, and dropping a further shot at the ninth. The Dane birdied the 12th but was in trouble again with bogeys at Nos. 14 and 15 before birdies at the next two holes in an eventual round of 75. "Its a disappointment when you come off the golf course like this," Bjorn said. "I just didnt get it right today and I made that massive judgment error on six and that kind of let everybody back into the frame." ' ' '

(SportsNetwork.com) - Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt was embarrassed with the previous loss and hopes his team gets the message Friday night versus the Brooklyn Nets at Quicken Loans Arena. The much-improved Atlanta Hawks left the Forest City with a 127-98 beatdown of the Cavaliers on Wednesday and shot a sizzling 64.5 percent from the floor. Shelvin Mack came off the Atlanta bench to score 24 points and sank all six of his 3-pointers. Atlanta buried 16-of-28 3-pointers on the night. That was embarrassing, how we played, Blatt said. I apologize to all the good fans who came out here. Really, just a poor, poor performance. LeBron James and Dion Waiters scored 21 points apiece and Kevin Love posted his 14th double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Cavs shot 45.1 percent and received nine points and six assists from Kyrie Irving. James, who didnt play in the fourth quarter, was asked if he was embarrassed with the loss and he responded, nah, Im embarrassed losing the Finals. James is four points shy of passing Charles Barkley (23,757) for 23rd on the NBAs all-time scoring list. He is averaging 31.0 ppg in his last four games and is second in the NBA with 25.4 ppg. Cleveland has lost three of four games following an eight-game winning streak and will also welcome Memphis and Minnesota to the Q on this five-game homestand. The Cavs are 8-5 at home this season and 9-1 in the last 10 games against teams from the East. The Cavs, who have won six of the past seven at home, are 12-4 against conference foes. Brooklyn has lost two in a row and five of its last seven games, and dropped a 105-89 decision at Toronto on Wednesday. Mason Plumlee scored a career-high 23 points, Joe Johnson had 17 and Mirza Teletovic added 14 for Brooklyn, which shot 43.2 percent and struggled from beyond the arc, making only 9-of-27 shots downtown. Having that time on the court has given my teammates confidence in me, Plumlee said after the first meeting between the Atlantic Division foes since Brooklyns seven-game win in the first round of the playoffs. Its a great opportunity for me. Deron Williams finished with 11 points and seven assists, and is averaging that many assists in the past nine games. Nets veteran big man Kevin Garnett did not play against the division-leading Raptors and is day-to-day. The Nets were coming off a close 95-91 loss to Miami on Tuesday in the first of a back-to-back, and hope the recent rest will pay off Friday. They are 5-7 on the road this season. Brooklyn lost the first of four meetings with Cleveland, 110-88, at Barclays Center on Dec. 8, as Garnett and Williams scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. Waiters led all scorers in that one with 26 points, Love chipped in 19 and 14 rebounds and James added 18 points and seven assists. The Cavs broke a 61-61 tie by closing out the third quarter on a 24-6 run and have won two in a row against the Nets. Philip Rivers Youth Jersey . The redshirt freshman finished the regular season with nearly 3,500 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns with another three on the ground while leading the Seminoles to the top of the BCS Rankings. Kellen Winslow Youth Jersey . Catch the action live on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Wild lead the Northwest Division and look to get back into the win column after having a season-high seven-game winning streak cut short with Tuesdays 2-1 loss at Winnipeg in the finale of a five-game road trip (4-1-0). http://www.prochargersteamstore.com/Youth-Antonio-Gates-Elite-Jersey/ . - The Mavericks built a 12-point lead with 2:50 to play, gave away all but two points of it, and still managed to hang on. Melvin Gordon III Jersey . When a game is in the balance, however, they still have the personnel and the experience to end up with the two points. LaDainian Tomlinson Womens Jersey . -- Valentin Zykov scored in overtime as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar rallied to a 3-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Sunday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action.ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Ndamukong Suh asked for and was given a chance to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to talk about his play two years ago. Now, the league wants to discuss Suhs discipline-filled season with the Detroit Lions defensive tackle and he hasnt decided whether to accept the invitation. "I dont know yet," Suh said Wednesday. "I have had brief discussions with my agent and GM. Im really just focusing on Dallas. Im not really concerning myself with that, just yet, until the bye week comes." Detroit (4-3) will have an off week after hosting the Cowboys (4-3) on Sunday. Suh was fined last week for a second time this season and the seventh time in his four-year career, docked $31,500 for a hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden. Suh was fined $100,000 for an illegal block on Minnnesota Vikings centre John Sullivan in Week 1 during an interception return.dddddddddddd That is largest fine in NFL history for on-field conduct, not counting suspensions. Has Suh figured out how the NFL decides to discipline players? "Honestly, I havent figured it out," he said. Suh said the NFL sent Lions general manager Martin Mayhew a letter, extending an opportunity for Suh to have another meeting with league officials. "Its always good to have dialogue and understand where theyre coming from and take it from there," Suh said. Suh said he came away with the 2011 meeting with the NFL with a better understanding of what changes he needed to make on the field, and believes he has made progress. "I feel like Im playing within the rules for the most part, without a doubt," he said. ' ' '