MADRID, Spain -- Atletico Madrid is making a desperate bid to have Diego Costa available for Saturdays Champions League final by sending him for treatment using horse placenta. Jason Verrett Super Bowl Jersey . The Atletico striker is doubtful for Saturdays match against Real Madrid in Lisbon due to a nagging right thigh injury, but Atletico is not giving up. The club sent the Brazilian-born Spain striker to Belgrade to seek treatment from Marijana Kovacevic, who uses fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells. "It all depends on the horse treatment used, but I have no idea about it as Im not a doctor," Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said. "If it doesnt help him, then its best he doesnt play." Kovacevic has previously treated Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard, among a number of football players. Costa led Atletico with 36 goals in all competitions but limped out early in a 1-1 draw at Barcelona on Saturday. "Hopefully it can help him recover in time because he is such an important player for us," Atletico fullback Juanfran Torres said. "Wed like to be able to count on him." Trent Taylor Super Bowl Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. Ronnie Lott Super Bowl Jersey . -- Jerome Williams glanced at Philadelphias schedule and realized he would be facing the Oakland Athletics yet again, with another new team. http://www.authenticsf49erspro.com/Jimmie-ward-49ers-jersey/ . With his father watching from the stands, Harrison homered, doubled, single and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pirates to a 8-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. MILWAUKEE -- Jason Hammel threw a sinker early in counts to try to entice groundball outs against an aggressive lineup and mixed things up with a fastball in the low 90s. It was an overwhelming combination for the short-handed Milwaukee Brewers. Hammel had a season-high seven strikeouts and allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings, Starlin Castro hit two solo homers and the Chicago Cubs snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-0 win Sunday. Hammel, one of the few bright spots in a dismal April for Chicago, made his impressive work sound easy afterward. He hasnt given up more than five hits in each of his five starts. "I featured a pretty good sinker down in the zone early to get a lot of ground balls and just attacked the zone," he said. "So, thats really all it was today." Hammel (4-1) didnt allow a hit until Carlos Gomez doubled down the left-field line with one out in the sixth. He then got into trouble after walking Scooter Gennett and making an errant pickoff throw to put runners at second and third. But the righty got a strikeout before Aramis Ramirez bounced out to end the threat. "Great, great job. Mixed all his pitches well. Stayed down," manager Rick Renteria said. Chicago improved to 8-16, the last team in the majors to get to eight victories. Chicago scored twice in the second on Castros first homer and Darwin Barneys RBI fielders choice with the bases loaded off Brewers starter Wily Peralta (3-1). Castros second shot in the eighth off reliever Brandon Kintzler barely cleared the wall in the left-field corner. Castro had his second career multi-homer game in nearly three weeks, having going deep twice April 8 against Pittsburgh. His second-inning homer also just cleared the wall 400 feet away in dead centre and evaded the leaping Gomezs outstretched glove. On the mound, Peralta pumped his right arm in front of his waist in frustration. He thought the Gold Glove-winning Gomez might have had a shot at robbing the homer. "Always," Peralta said. "When GoGo runs back, you think he haas a chance to make the catch. Terrell Owens Super Bowl Jersey. " Gomez said he had the perfect timing, "but its not even close." He went 1 for 4 on his bobblehead day. Peralta, a right-hander with a 96-mph fastball had trouble spotting pitches in the second. Ramirez stepped on third for an out on Barneys grounder but his throw trying to get Nate Schierholtz at home bounced up the first-base line to allow the run to score. Despite not having his best command, Peralta still just gave up three runs on eight hits in seven innings. He struck out six. "If hes not going to be sharp and thats what he does, its pretty good," manager Ron Roenicke said. Having Ryan Braun and Jean Segura could have helped, but both Milwaukee stars missed the game with injuries. Braun sat with a slight chest muscle strain, while Segura had a partially closed right eye and bruised right cheek after being accidentally hit during a practice swing by Braun on Saturday. Segura said after the game he hoped to return this week during the Brewers seven-game road trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati. Braun might miss three to five days. The remaining Brewers were overmatched by Hammel, who stayed low and away from the Brewers remaining potent right-handed bats. Hammel was lifted after allowing pinch hitter Rickie Weeks single to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon held the Brewers hitless the final two innings. Notes: Despite the win, the Cubs lost the three-game series to the Brewers and extended the teams string of winless series to 13 dating to last season. Chicago last won a series after taking two of three from Cincinnati in September. ... C John Baker went 2 for 4 that ended an 0-for-18 stretch. ... Ron Roenicke said the club would hold off on making any roster moves while Braun and Segura continue to be evaluated. ... The Brewers travel to St. Louis to start a seven-game road trip, with Yovani Gallardo (2-0) getting the start Monday. Chicago begins a three-game set in Cincinnati and sends Jeff Samardzija (0-2) to the mound. ' ' '

ST. Geronimo Allison Super Bowl Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb has been activated from the 15-day disabled list after missing almost six weeks with a strained side. The team announced the move on Thursday. Cobb had been on the DL since April 13. To make room on the roster for Cobb, outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was optioned to Triple-A Durham after Wednesday nights game against Oakland. Tampa Bay starters Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore both remain on the disabled list. Hellickson threw 34 pitches during his first batting practice session Thursday. The right-hander, who expects to return before the All-Star break, had arthroscopic right elbow surgery in January. Moore underwent left elbow ligament replacement surgery in April and could be sidelined 12 to 15 months. Oren Burks Super Bowl Jersey . Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Shawn Marion had 22 and the Mavericks beat undermanned Philadelphia 124-112 Friday night, handing the 76ers their 10th straight loss. Jason Spriggs Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The Carolina Hurricanes placed defenseman John-Michael Liles on injured reserve Tuesday. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Marquez-valdes-scantling-packers-jersey/ . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.DENVER -- Ron Roenicke was worn out from watching the baseball soar so much in just one game. The Milwaukee Brewers skipper cant even begin to imagine playing half his games in this hitter friendly park. "Theres just so much that happens," Roenicke said. Especially on a humid night with no wind blowing. The baseballs were flying like the old days, before the humidor came into existence at Coors Field. Jean Segura homered twice and Ryan Braun had three hits in his 1,000th career game, helping the Brewers hold off the Colorado Rockies 13-10 on Friday night. "There are a lot of good ballparks to hit in. There are," Roenicke said. "But those balls were crushed." Indeed, they were. Khris Davis homered and Carlos Gomez extended his hitting streak to 16 games as the Brewers scored their most runs of the year and tied a season high with 19 hits. Segura said hes never had a multihomer game before Friday. He could definitely get used to hitting here. "Everybody likes hitting in this park," Segura said. "This place is great for hitters. Its amazing how balls go off the bat here, just go out in the field so quickly." Marco Estrada (6-4) was noticing the same thing. He didnt feel like he pitched all that bad. But then he looked at his line for the night -- seven runs in 5 2-3 innings and a career-most 10 hits -- and he cant help but wince a bit. "I still think I threw the ball really well," Estrada said. "Nothing you can do about it, just keep going." In their first game since being no-hit by Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, the Rockies got their league-leading offence back on track with a 16-hit evening, which included homers from Justin Morneau, Corey Dickerson and Brandon Barnes. Morneau finished with five RBIs. "Guys turned the page pretty well," manager Walt Weiss said. "(The no-hitter) was long forgotten when the game started." Christian Bergman (0-2) was roughed up as he allowed seven runs in three innings. The righty departed soon after taking aa liner off the base of his left hand. Elgton Jenkins Super Bowl Jersey. "Its fine," Bergman said. "Its not broken, its just really swollen. Hopefully it cools down in the next couple of days." Roenicke had a feeling it was going to be a long night when the teams combined for 13 runs and 16 hits in the first three innings. "I thought it was going to be a big number (to win)," Roenicke said. About then, Estrada began to find his groove. He pitched three straight scoreless innings to give Brewers hitters a chance to open a gap. Milwaukee took the lead for good on Seguras second homer of the game in the third. The Brewers were leading 11-6 in the sixth when Dickerson hit a two-run homer -- his fourth hit of the game. An inning later, Barnes lined a two-run homer to make it 12-10. Milwaukee reliever Will Smith found himself in a precarious situation in the eighth. With two on and one out, Segura made a nifty play in the hole to snare Morneaus grounder and threw to second for a forceout. Smith then struck out Wilin Rosario to end the threat. Francisco Rodriguez struck out two of three in ninth for his 24th save in 26 chances. Gomez finished with three singles to stretch his streak of safely reaching base to 33 straight games. That ties him for the fifth-longest streak in franchise history. Braun was 3 for 6 with two doubles. He was booed each time he stepped to the plate in the wake of his suspension last season following Major League Baseballs investigation into the Biogenesis drug scandal. NOTES: Milwaukee, the best road team in baseball, improved to 4-1 on its seven-game trip. ... The Brewers will throw RHP Wily Peralta (7-5) on Saturday against LHP Christian Friedrich, who will be making his season debut. Friedrich missed most of last season with back inflammation. ... Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (broken left middle finger) said his recent X-ray came back clean and that he hopes to begin batting as soon as next week. He put on his glove again Friday. "Felt a little weird," Arenado said. "But it felt good." ' ' '

ZURICH, Switzerland -- A German anti-doping laboratory using a new steroid test has found 266 positive cases in the past year and is finding other positives in retesting of old samples. Bam Morris Jersey . Cologne lab scientist Hans Geyer revealed detailed figures Friday at an anti-doping conference hosted by FIFA. The lab found 184 cases involving stanozolol, the banned drug used by sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Olympics, and 82 of oral turinabol, a steroid widely used in the former East Germany. Geyer said many of the positives since November 2012 involved athletics, weightlifting and wrestling, and all were reported to the World Anti-Doping Agency and sports governing bodies. "It was surprising for us, we didnt expect that many," Geyer told reporters on the sidelines of the conference. "Most of them were from the first half of this year." German broadcaster ARD reported this month on the testing at the Cologne and Moscow labs, and the IOC confirmed it was using the improved method to retest samples from the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. Cologne scientists have used a Russian-developed test which detects steroids in smaller quantities for around six months after athletes took them. Previously reported cases this year included dozens of track and field athletes in Turkey, while the International Weightlifting Federation identified 29 athletes on its website who were banned this year for using one or both of the two steroids. Geyer said he was surprised that no athletes challenged the lab results, which typically follows the introduction of a new test method. "We expected many objections, many outrages (from athletes) but nothing happened. This is very unusual for a lab," he said. More cases are being revealed in re-tests requested by sports bodies, which the scientist did not identify, and have shown10 per cent positives. However, Geyer said no new cases have been revealed in testing of samples from cyclists, footballers or German athletes. "I think its a success of this strategy to look for long-term metabolites, but the best deterring effect is the long-term storage (of samples)," he said. Geyer suggested that the improved test showed the limitations of previous strategies to catch drug cheats. "Maybe the athletes always knew how long we could detect these substances," he said. "Maybe the out-of-competition (testing) system doesnt work." The IOC has said the new test will be used at the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February. It will also be used in the planned retesting of samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics before the eight-year statute of limitations expires in 2016. Jonathan Ogden Jersey . - First-timer Chris Harris Jr. Josh Bynes Jersey .com) - Marian Gaborik scored his sixth goal in the last four games to help the Los Angeles Kings top the Arizona Coyotes, 4-2, Saturday at Staples Center. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom-robert-griffin-iii-jersey-large-1793d.html . The third-seeded Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., was coming off a semifinal appearance at the French Open. She took the opening set before the unseeded American came back for the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.TSN announced its Barclays Premier League broadcast schedule through to Feb. 23. TSNs slate of platforms - TSN, TSN2, TSN.ca, and TSN Radio - will continue to deliver up to five games per week throughout the 2013-14 season as part of the networks 190-game package. TSNs multi-platform Barclays Premier League coverage continues this weekend with five matches, and is headlined by doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday culminating in a battle of Premier League giants as on Sunday as Chelsea takes on Manchester United at 11am et/8am pt on TSN. Additional highlights of TSNs confirmed schedule include Manchester City vs. Chelsea Monday, Feb. 3 at 3pm et/Noon pt on TSN2 and Arsenal vs. Man United on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 2:45pm et/11:45am pt on TSN. TSN also confirmed five games featuring Tottenham and Jermain Defoe, including possibly his fiinal BPL home game as a Spurs player when Everton visit Tottenham on Sunday, Feb. Willie Snead IV Jersey. . 9 at 8:30am et/5:30am pt on TSN2 and what may be his last BPL game in a Tottenham uniform on Sunday, Feb. 23 when Norwich plays Tottenham at 11am et/8am pt on TSN.ca. The England international was announced yesterday as the newest member of TFC, and will be leaving the BPL for Major League Soccer at the end of February. The broadcast schedule for TSN Radio - including TSN Radio 1050 Toronto, TSN Radio 690 Montreal, TSN Radio 1200 Ottawa, TSN Radio 1260 Edmonton, and TSN Radio 1290 Winnipeg - will be confirmed weekly on each stations home page. This is the first season of a new multi-year broadcast agreement with Barclays Premier League that gives TSN Canadian media rights to half of all games through to the 2015-16 season. ' ' '

ST. David Bakhtiari Super Bowl Jersey . PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota is hardly a marquee place in major professional sports, a midsized market in the middle of the country best known on the coasts for the length and extremity of its winters.In the NHL, though, theres evidence mounting to the contrary. Thomas Vanek was the latest free agent to pick the Wild, two summers after Zach Parise and Ryan Suter jolted the league by coming as a package deal.Its a good city to live in and play in, so I dont see why this wouldnt be a destination of choice, said Jason Pominville, who was traded to the Wild last year and liked the surroundings enough to sign a new contract.After advancing to the Western Conference semifinals last season, the Wild have returned with a roster to match the hockey-maven populace and quality-of-life features in the Twin Cities area. Winning, of course, is the ultimate sell.Good players want to play with good players. Hopefully that trend is going to continue, Parise said.Vanek was the one, ironically, who first encouraged Pominville to embrace this place when he was traded by Buffalo. Vanek and Pominville were teammates with the Sabres for eight years and neighbours, too, and the Montreal-area native wasnt familiar with Minnesota.He loved Buffalo a lot, which I did too, Vanek said. But I told him, Youll like it there. Theres a lot of good fans. And after a week or so, he called me and said, You know what? Youre right. I do like it here a lot.Pominville signed a five-year, $28 million deal a few days before last season, and that has now kicked in. Vanek signed for three years and $19.5 million. Two seasons ago, Parise and Suter each signed 13-year, $98 million contracts.People recognize the talent that you have. So were getting better, general manager Chuck Fletcher said.Another factor in the Wilds favour has been the cultivation of prospects who have begun to contribute. With Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle and Jonas Brodin the standouts, the Wild will likely send a 20-man lineup to the ice for the season opener Thursday against Colorado that includes 11 players age 24 or younger.The 14-year-old Wild dont have much on an original six franchise and the Twin Cities area is dwarfed by New York or Los Angeles in glamour and density, but Minnesota has produced more NHL players than any other state. Canada will always be king, but the land of frequently frozen lakes is a legitimate landing spot for many of this sports best.Vanek was raised in Austria but played at the University of Minnesota, winning an NCAA championship in 2003. Parise grew up in the Twin Cities area, the son of a former NHL star. Suters roots are across the border in Wisconsin, but his wife is from Bloomington, where the North Stars used to play before moving to Dallas and creating the void filled by the Wild.Stephon Marbury once infamously swore off a long-term NBA career with the Timberwolves because of Minnesotas cold weather, but for players in this league the climate during the season feels no different than western Canada or northern Europe. Good schools for the kids and postcard-quality summer days help, too, and the depth, history and passion of the fan base is a plus.With the Suter-Parise signings as the impetus, the season-ticket base for 2014-15 is the highest in owner Craig Leipolds nearly seven years running the team.Weve got the total package here and I think we need to continue to push that, Leipold said. We have a really great product to sell, and thats one reason we know that Thomas Vanek was interested. Anybody who has ever played in Minnesota wants to come back.Vanek has kept an off-season home in the Twin Cities area, so he had opportunity to settle his family. He wasnt going to pick the Wild, though, if they hadnt shown the same promise on the ice.I liked the team, I liked the depth, I liked the veteran players that we have, I like the young guys, Vanek said, and overall I think its a good mix. Clay Matthews Super Bowl Jersey . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. Jace Sternberger Super Bowl Jersey . "Well over 50 (per cent)," coach Claude Noel said Tuesday after practice, where the Jets were looking at ways to cut down the scoring chances theyve been giving away. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Jamaal-Williams-Packers-Jersey/ . With the final four being arguably the four best – and most complete – teams from the regular season, picking a winner is not as easy as it sounds.Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - James Harden nearly recorded a triple-double and the Houston Rockets used a fast start to take down the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-101, on Thursday night. Harden led six Rockets in double figures with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Trevor Ariza totaled 17 points and Donatas Motiejunas had 14 for Houston, which has won five of its last six. Dwight Howard, Patrick Beverley and Josh Smith each contributed 13 points to the victory. Kevin Durant paced the Thunder with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook, Dion Waiters and Reggie Jackson scored 16 points apiece in Oklahoma Citys third loss in four games. Both teams shot under 30 percent in the last meeting, a forgettable 69-65 Rockets victory on Nov. 16 in a game Durant and Westbrook were absent from the OKC lineup. Houston used relentless effort during a strong opening quarter in this one and jumped all over the Thunder from the onset. Harden looked to get a lift playing his former club, scoring the first seven points for the Rockets as part of a 23-2 run early in the first. Oklahoma City made the first two field goals of the game, then did not register another successful basket until the newly acquired Waiters hit a bank shot at 5:20 which closed the gap to 23-9. Raven Greene Super Bowl Jersey. Harden netted 15 points in Houstons highest-scoring quarter of the season as it grabbed a 40-18 advantage entering the second. Durant scored 15 of his 16 first-half points in the second quarter and helped the Thunder cut a 26-point deficit to 64-53 at the break. The Rockets maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third and brought an 88-75 edge into the fourth. Houston led 88-78 early in the fourth when Smith converted a pair of buckets inside during a 12-0 run that put the game out of reach. Game Notes OKC has been held under 100 points in four straight games on the heels of reaching the century mark in three straight -- two wins ... The win was Rockets coach Kevin McHales 200th career ... Durant had a game-high three blocks ... Serge Ibaka finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in the loss ... Houston shot 16-of-36 from beyond the arc. ' ' '

TORONTO - Flyweight Ali Bagautinov has been suspended for one year after failing a random drug test in advance of UFC 174 in Vancouver. Dave Robinson Super Bowl Jersey . The 29-year-old Russian has been banned by the British Columbia Athletic Commission for testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO). Bagautinov lost a unanimous decision last month to 125-pound champion Demetrious (Mighty Mouse) Johnson in the main event of the Rogers Arena card. The Russian was one of eight fighters on the June 14 Vancouver card to undergo a drug test. He was also tested out of competition on June 2. The B.C. commission said he flunked the earlier test. "These results were not available prior to the UFC 174 event due to lab processing times," B.C. athletic commissioner Dave Maedel said in a statement. Bagautinov (13-3) is 3-1 in the UFC and was ranked fourth among 125-pound contenders. "The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes," the UFC said in a statement. "Bagautinov will serve a one-year suspension and must pass a drug test at the conclusion of his suspension before receiving clearance to compete in the UFC again." Jaire Alexander Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The Winnipeg Jets placed defenceman Paul Postma on injured reserve Tuesday. David Bakhtiari Super Bowl 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. https://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Darnell-Savage-Jr-Jersey/ . Kenny Miller scored from the penalty spot and Camilo Sanvezzo came off the bench to add two late goals as the Whitecaps kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over the sagging Impact on Saturday afternoon.MIAMI -- Right-hander Bryan Morris was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Miami Marlins, who gave up the 39th overall pick in Thursdays draft. Miami also placed catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the seven-day concussion list Sunday and recalled catcher J.T. Realmuto from Double-A Jacksonville. Saltalamacchia was hurt when he took a foul tip off his face mask in Saturdays game against Atlanta. Morris will join the Marlins on Monday and is expected to give their struggling bullpen a boost. Through Saturday, Miamis relievers ranked 21st in the majors with an ERA of 3.96, while the starters ranked 10th with an ERA of 3.70. "Weve had some issues in the bullpen, and we just wanted to make it deeper," president of baseball operations Mike Hill said. Morris is 4-0 with a 3.80 ERA in 21 ggames this year, and he has a career ERA of 3. Montravius Adams Super Bowl Jersey. 46 in 81 games. He was a first-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2006. "Weve seen a lot of him," Hill said. "He was a first-round pick out of high school -- a power arm up to 97, and a power curveball behind that." The Marlins traded away their third pick in the draft. They still have six of the first 107 picks. Realmuto, a third-round pick in 2010, batted .301 with five homers and 31 RBIs for Jacksonville. "We want to try to get him in a couple of games," manager Mike Redmond said. "Were hoping that Salty is just a short-term deal, but you never know with concussions." Saltalamacchia batted only .177 in May, dropping his average for the season to .237, and he has committed eight errors. ' ' '

OAKLAND, Calif. Walt Schupp Jersey Store . -- Matthew Stafford and Detroits passing game looked in midseason form even with star Calvin Johnson on the sideline watching. Stafford threw touchdown passes on his first two drives of the game for Detroit before Matt McGloin threw a 19-yard TD pass to Brice Butler with 6 seconds to go to give the Oakland Raiders a 27-26 win over the Lions in an exhibition game Friday night. McGloin came in after backup Derek Carr left with injured ribs earlier in the fourth quarter and led the game-winning 68-yard drive. The victory wasnt complete until Sebastian Janikowski kicked the 33-yard extra point. That couldnt overshadow a sharp performance from Stafford, who connected on a 28-yard pass to Golden Tate on Detroits second play from scrimmage and a 4-yard score to Kris Durham on the second drive. The Lions first-team offence looked sharp even with Johnson held out of his second straight preseason game. Matt Schaub threw a deflected interception on his first drive and Oaklands first-team defence struggled early. But Carr provided a spark before McGloin got the win. Schaub started well in his first home game with the Raiders, converting a pair of third downs before his throw to James Jones in coverage was deflected and intercepted by James Ihedigbo. Two plays later, cornerback Tarell Brown bit on a double move and Tate raced past him to catch a 28-yard score. Kicker Nate Freese hit the upright on the extra point from the 15-yard line. Freese, in a competition with Giorgio Tavecchio, made up for that with a 55-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the half. Stafford picked apart Oaklands defence in his limited action, completing 9 of 10 passes for 88 yards and capping the second drive when Durham outjumped TJ Carrie for the 4-yard score. Stafford spread the ball around well, completing passes to five receivers on three drives before calling it a night. Detroits backup Dan Orlovsky also had success, going 8 for 12 for 153 yards and leading an 83-yard TD drive to open the second half. Schaub at least ended his night on a positive note by leading a 60-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard TD run from Darren McFadden. Schaub was nearly intercepted by Rashean Mathis early in the drive when he was late on an out pass to Rod Streater. But Schaub was helped out by a pair of penalties on Detroit after the Lions had appeared to stop the drive and then threw a 22-yard screen pass to Maurice Jones-Drew to set up the score. Carr led the Raiders to a field goal on his first drive, throwing a 16-yard pass to Jones on a rollout for the key play. After stalling on his first drive of the second half, Carr looked sharp late in the third quarter when he completed all six passes for 76 yards on a touchdown drive capped by a 3-yard pass to undrafted rookie tight end Jake Murphy. A 50-yard punt return by Carrie set up Janikowskis third field goal of the night early in the fourth quarter to cut Detroits lead to 23-20. But Carr left the game holding his ribs later in the fourth quarter after a hard hit from Larry Webster. Carr, Oaklands second-round pick in May, went 9 for 16 for 109 yards and looked comfortable in the pocket against Detroits reserves. China Jerseys For Sale . Watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. Serge Ibaka returned to the Thunder lineup from a calf injury that was supposed to sideline him for the remainder of the postseason and the results were sparkling. China Jerseys Wholesale .com) - Houston Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips confirmed Monday that starting quarterback Case Keenum sustained a sprained right thumb during Sundays 25-3 loss in Indianapolis. https://www.chinacheapjerseys.net/jack-may-jersey-store/ . 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.MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama coach Nick Saban can make more than $55 million over the next eight years with the Crimson Tide. A unanimous vote by the Alabama system trustees compensation committee Tuesday made Sabans new deal official nearly seven months after the university announced the agreement. The 62-year-old Saban will make $6.5 million in base pay and what the university describes as a "talent fee" plus a $400,000 completion bonus for each year. Its a seven-figure raise over the eight-year contract worth about $5.6 million annually he received in March 2012. New offensive co-ordinator Lane Kiffin will make $2.074 million over three years. Alabama athletic director Bill Battle said that Saban, often rumoured for other college and NFL jobs, will "be our head football coach for many years to come." "He is the best coach in the country and hes brought Alabama back to the pinnacle of college football," Battle said in a statement released by the university. "His success on the field is obviously second to none, but Coach Sabans influence on academics and all the other areas of our athletic programs are equally impressive to me." Saban is one of four coaches in The Associated Press polll era to win four national titles, joining Alabamas Bear Bryant, Southern Californias John McKay and Notre Dames Frank Leahy. Tom Greene Jersey Store. "We are honoured by the commitment the University of Alabama has made to us with this new contract," Saban said in the prepared news release. "It is certainly a mutual agreement in terms of our commitment to the University of Alabama. We will continue to work hard to keep our football program among the nations elite. My passion has always been to develop young men to their full potential as student-athletes. "Weve had great success in that area at Alabama and Im appreciative of all the support and the resources we receive from the administration in order to make that happen." Saban has led the Crimson Tide to three national championships in seven seasons. Trustees also approved details on the contract for Kiffin. The former Tennessee and Southern California coach will make $680,000 salaries each of the next two years and $714,000 in the final year ending Feb. 28, 2017.. Other coaches got raises while defensive co-ordinator Kirby Smart had his deal extended one year through Feb. 28, 2017. He signed a three-year contract worth $3.85 million in 2013. ' ' '

East Lansing, MI (SportsNetwork. Custom Packers Super Bowl Jerseys .com) - Travis Trice and Matt Costello each scored 15 points as No. 19 Michigan State thumped Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 85-52, on Saturday. Branden Dawson scored 12 points with seven rebounds and Bryn Forbes added 12 points for the Spartans (6-3), who were coming off back-to-back losses, including a one-point overtime setback to Notre Dame on Wednesday. Marcel Mosley had 19 points and Ghiavonnie Robinson added 13 for the Golden Lions (1-7), who have dropped their past five games. The Spartans led this game from start to finish and built an 18-7 lead six minutes in after Costello hit a pair of free throws. A 12-0 run from Michigan State later in the half saw the team build its lead to 25 after Trice hit a pair of free throws for a 36-11 advantage. The Spartans wound up with a 54-20 lead after 20 minutes. An 11-0 run from the Golden Lions saw the team cut its deficit to 65-39 with 10 1/2 minutes to play. Any thoughts of a comeback, though, were quickly put to bed as Michigan State scored the next nine points with Dawsons tip-in giving the team a 74-39 lead with seven minutes to play. Game Notes Michigan State has off until next Sunday when it hosts Oakland ... The only other meeting in this series occurred in December of 2012, when the Spartans took a 76-44 victory ... Michigan State was a crisp 60 percent (30-for-50) from the floor, including 10-of-18 from 3-point range. Dave Robinson Super Bowl Jersey . -- Jonathan Diaz is easy to spot in the Blue Jays clubhouse. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Ray-Nitschke-Packers-Jersey/ . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way.Phil Kessels star continues to shine. One of the hottest scorers in the NHL prior to the Olympic break, Kessel has been Team USAs most dynamic player through the preliminary round scoring four goals and seven points in three games to help his team remain undefeated. Kessel scored three goals and was the first star of the game as the United States registered an easy 5-1 win over Slovenia Sunday. The Toronto Maple Leafs right-winger shot Team USA into a quick 2-0 lead scoring on his teams first shot of the game and then batting a puck out of mid-air a few minutes later. Kessel completed his hat trick at 11:05 of the second period when he popped a rebound past Slovenian goaltender Luka Gracnar. "Im just trying to help my team win; do whatever I can," Kessel said. He added it is a bonus to be playing on a line with James van Riemsdyk, his linemate in Toronto. Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks in the lines centre. "It helps a lot that I play with JVR all year," Kessel said. "I played with Pav at the last Olympics and were just trying to keep going." Slovenia, coming off a thrilling 3-1 victory over Slovakia Saturday, had nothing left in the tank to face the United States. It was as though its win over Slovakia was its Stanley Cup victory and the team checked out mentally. Likewise, the Americans celebrated a monumental shootout win over the host Russians knowing thhey could go at half speed and not lose on this day. Paul Hornung Super Bowl Jersey. A goal in the final minute by Slovenia was inconsequential other than the fact it affected Team USAs goal differential. The Americans complete the round robin with a 3-0 record having outscored their opponents 15-4. The game had all the intensity of two last-place teams in a beer league hooking up late in the season. The Slovenians had a couple of decent scoring chances, but that said, they were never really in the game. The United States took the lead and then coasted to the victory. With 13 goals since Jan. 2, Pavelski has been one of the hottest scorers in the NHL in 2014. He has continued to hold a hot hand in the Olympics scoring a goal and adding three assists through three games. Ryan Miller was the hero of the 2010 Olympic Games for Team USA, leading his team to the gold medal game and earning most valuable player honors. He had a 5-1 record in Vancouver, but has been designated as the teams backup goalie in this years tournament, giving way to Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings. Miller made his first start against Slovenia. Forward Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers also saw his first action replacing Max Pacioretty in the lineup. Slovenias best player, Anze Kopitar, was late joining his team for the second period and then skipped the third period all together. No reason was given for his absence. ' ' '

PHOENIX -- Matt Barnes knows shooting nights like this are rare moments to be savored. Johnny Strzykalski Jersey . The 11-year NBA veteran scored 18 of his 28 points in the third quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 104-96 Tuesday to match their season best of five victories in a row. Barnes made 12 of his first 13 shots and scored 16 points in the first 5:09 of the third quarter. "I felt like I got good looks every time," he said. "I found a little bit of space and was able to get the shot up. Every time it left my hands it felt good. One of those nights." Blake Griffin added 22 points and Darren Collison had 18 for Los Angeles. DeAndre Jordan had 10 points and 17 rebounds and blocked Goran Dragics layup try with the Suns still in it with 41 seconds to go. P.J. Tucker scored 18 and Gerald Green 17 on 6-of-19 shooting for the Suns, who played without centre Miles Plumlee (right knee sprain). They also lost guard Leandro Barbosa to a broken left hand in the first half. Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said Barbosa would be out four to six weeks. After Jordans block, his two free throws sealed it at 101-94 with 39.5 seconds left. Phoenix led by as many as 12 in the third quarter and trailed by as many as 15 in the fourth before cutting it to three late. Trailing 61-49, Los Angeles outscored the Suns 32-10 to take an 81-71 lead on Barnes layup after a Clippers offensive rebound with 38.9 seconds to go in the third quarter. Markieff Morris scored to cut Los Angeles lead to 81-73 entering the fourth. Barnes shot 7 of 7 for 18 points in the third quarter. Griffin added 12 in the period. The Clippers won despite a 4-for-14 shooting night from Chris Paul. Dragic, his Phoenix counterpart, was 5 for 14. They had nine assists apiece. "It is not going to be Blake and Chris every night," Barnes said. "We have a deep team and you have to be accountable for everybody and we have been showing that lately." Clippers coach Doc Rivers credited his teams second-half defence. "The second quarter was horrendous," he said. "But then I thought our defence, to hold them to 39 points in the second half -- everybody was in the right spots. We were rotating, and we played with intensity." Los Angeles built its biggest lead at 90-75 on Jared Dudleys layup with 8:48 left. Phoenix got back in it with an 11-0 run. Morris scored on a baseline dunk, then followed with a 3-pointer that cut the Clippers lead to 90-86 with 6:31 left. Green was 3 for 16 before making two 3s and bouncing in a 16-footer to cut the lead to 97-94 with 2:37 to go. Griffin made a fadeaway 13-footer with 2:09 left. "The third quarter, they were more physical, especially on defence," Dragic said. "We were catching the ball way out and we didnt get open shots. They just played hard defence, like we should do." Early on, Phoenix dominated. The Suns outscored the Clippers 16-2 over the final 3 1/2 minutes of the first quarter and the opening 1:45 of the second to lead 30-24 after newcomer Shavlik Randolph made one of two free throws with 10:15 left in the half. Dragic got his offence in gear in the final 1:19 of the half. He sank a 3-pointer, stole Barnes pass for a layup, then fed Alex Len for a layup as Phoenix used a 9-2 run to lead 55-44 at the break. NOTES: Barbosa was hurt taking a charge late in the first quarter but stayed in the game another 6 minutes. ... Phoenix is a half-game ahead of Memphis for the No. 8 playoff spot in the West. ... The Clippers were without Jamal Crawford (strained left calf) for the second game in a row. ... Len, a first-round draft pick, got his first start in place of Plumlee and struggled with six points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. ... Plumlee injured his knee in practice last week and had been trying to play through it. ... Suns G Eric Bledsoe, coming back from knee surgery, participated in a full scrimmage Monday. ... Bledsoe was hurt in the Suns 107-88 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles on Dec. 30, the only other time the teams have met this season. Rodney Harrison Jersey . -- C.J. Cron hit an RBI single on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues, doubled his second time up and hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night. J. D. Smith Jersey . - The Kansas City Royals are hoping All-Star catcher Salvador Perez will be back in a few days. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/custom-junior-seau-jersey-large-701f.html . Mesoraco hurt his hamstring while scoring from second in Friday nights 5-4 loss at Atlanta. Chapman was hit by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19, breaking his nose and a bone above his left eye. The left-hander looked strong while throwing 43 pitches in batting practice before Saturday nights game against the Braves.Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - LaMarcus Aldridge was unexpectedly in the Portland lineup on Saturday night and the All-Star power forward helped his team snap a two-game losing streak. Aldridge scored 26 points with nine rebounds in the Trail Blazers 103-96 win over the Washington Wizards. The Blazers announced earlier in the day that Aldridge will hold off having surgery on a torn radial collateral ligament in his left thumb. He was originally slated for surgery next week and expected to miss 6-8 weeks. That decision proved to be beneficial for Portland. Damian Lillard deposited 20 points with seven assists and Wesley Matthews added 19 points in the win. John Wall led the Wizards with 25 points and nine assists, while Paul Pierce registered 19 points and Bradley Beal chipped in with 16 points. Matthews converted successive 3-pointers to push the Blazers in front 87-85 with 3:29 left in the game. Lillard then made two free throws prior to his trey that capped an 11-0 run. Washington pulled to within three after a Nene layup, but he missed the ensuing free throw. Nene committed a shooting foul of Meyers Leonard on a 3- pointer, and Leonard nailed each of the free throws to make it a 97-91 game. Lillard gave those free throws right back, however, fouling Wall from beyond the arc onn the Wizards next possession. Jeff Garcia Jersey. Aldridge followed with two from the charity stripe with 45.7 seconds left for a 99-94 edge. Wall kept Washington close with a layup out of a timeout, but Dorell Wright pulled down a big offensive rebound with 16.9 seconds on the clock, then Lillard made two free throws to essentially seal it. Pierce scored Washingtons first five points as it started the game with a 13-2 spurt. The Wizards led by as many as 14 in the first quarter and held a 32-20 edge entering the second. Wright hit a 3-pointer to begin a 13-5 run for Portland that cut its deficit to 41-36. Pierce knocked down a trey to close the scoring in the half, giving Washington a 55-45 lead at the break. Aldridges mid-range jumper gave the Blazers a 69-68 lead with under two minutes left in the third. Washington made two field goals in the final six- plus minutes, but Andre Miller supplied the last of those two which helped the Wizards to a 70-69 lead heading to the fourth. Game Notes Pierce became the fourth player in NBA history, joining Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and Jason Terry, to make 2,000 3-pointers ... Washington has lost two straight ... Portland went 20-for-20 from the free throw line ... Wright scored 10 points off the Blazers bench. ' ' '

NEW YORK -- Derek Stepan is back in the fold with the New York Rangers, agreeing to a two-year contract that should have him back on the ice in time for the season opener. Nike China Jerseys . Negotiations had been tense in recent days as the sides worked on a deal to get the restricted free-agent forward signed and into training camp. A contract was finally worked out Thursday, one week before the Rangers start the regular season at Phoenix. The 23-year-old Stepan, expected to be the Rangers No. 1 centre, led the team with 44 points last season and was second to Rick Nash with 18 goals while playing all 48 games of the lockout-shortened campaign. He had been seeking $3.5 million per season, while the Rangers were offering around $3 million. The new deal is for a total of $6.15 million -- $2.3 million this season and $3.85 million in 2014-15. Signing Stepan was a critical move for the Rangers, who are starting the season under new coach Alain Vigneault without captain Ryan Callahan and speedy winger Carl Hagelin -- both recovering from shoulder operations. Stepan set career highs last season with a plus-25 rating and six game-winning goals. He tied his high with four power-play goals. Stepan went over the 40-point mark for the third straight season, tying for the NHL lead with four short-handed points. In 12 playoff games, Stepan had a career-best four goals -- including winners in Games 3 and 4 of New Yorks first-round victory over Washington. In 212 regular-season NHL games overall, Stepan has 56 goals and 140 points. China Jerseys 2020 .com) - The Los Angeles Kings werent playing their best hockey before the league went on break during the Winter Olympics. China Jerseys Cheap . - The fiancee of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez is set to ask a judge to throw out allegations that she lied to a grand jury. https://www.chinasjerseys.com/ . His brother — Red Lake chiropractor Richard Radford — is en route to Sochi to cheer on his younger brother. "Ive been getting texts from Eric and he just says the atmosphere is amazing, its special,” he said.BOSTON -- Chris Davis has rewritten the Baltimore Orioles record book with 51 homers, and he leads the majors with 92 extra-base hits. Sometimes a single is good enough. The Orioles slugger drove in the game-winning runs with his 12th-inning single to beat Boston 5-3 on Wednesday night and help Baltimore avoid elimination in the AL East. Matt Wieters had a pair of RBI doubles for Baltimore, which moved one game behind Texas in the race for the ALs second wild-card spot when the Rangers lost 4-3 in 12 innings to the Tampa Bay Rays. "Any time youre in a game like that you want to be the guy to get the hit -- whether its a squibber up the middle or a home run or whatever it is," Davis said. "You can feel the intensity of both teams trying to get a run. Ill take it whatever way I can get it." The Red Sox magic number to clinch the AL East remained at three. But Boston moved one game closer to guaranteeing itself at least a wild-card berth when the Kansas City Royals beat Cleveland 7-2. "We know where the playoffs are. We know how far away we are. Were not stupid," catcher David Ross said moments after the clubhouse TV showed the Tampa Bay Rays beating Texas. "So we feel pretty good about our chances." T.J. McFarland (2-1) worked the 11th for the win and Jim Johnson got the final three outs for his AL-leading 47th save. "We ended up with a W at the end of a long challenging night," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Im so proud of everybody. You can see why Bostons had a great year." The Orioles played their 114th errorless game, surpassing the 2008 Houston Astros for the majors most since 1900. J.J. Hardy and Brian Roberts had consecutive one-out singles and both advanced on a wild pitch by Franklin Morales (2-2). After pinch-hitter Steve Pearce was intentionally walked, Manny Machado fouled out before Davis grounded one up the middle into centre field. Boston had runners on first and second with one out in the 11th, but Stephen Drew grounded into a double play. David Ortiz hit his 28th home run -- a two-run shot -- and Mike Napoli added a solo homer for the Red Sox. Baltimore had pulled in front 3-2 in the sixth on Wieters RBBI double, but Napoli hit his solo homer into the centre field bleachers leading off the bottom of the inning against Wei-Yin Chen. China Jerseys 2021. Boston jumped ahead 2-0 in the first on Ortizs long homer into the seats about 15 rows back in right field. Victorino singled before Ortiz hit the first pitch, holding his bat and admiring his drive for a while before rounding the bases. Boston starter Jake Peavy went seven innings, allowing three runs, six hits, striking out eight and walking one. Chen gave up three runs on 11 hits, striking out five without a walking a batter in 5 2-3 innings. Boston closer Koji Uehara pitched a perfect 10th one night after having his club-record streak of retiring 37 consecutive batters snapped and taking the loss. Baltimore tied it with two runs in the fifth. Danny Valencia had the Orioles first hit -- a leadoff single -- and scored on Wieters double into the centre field triangle just over the glove of Victorinos running bid. Roberts RBI doubled tied it. Mixing a well-spotted fastball with a slider and change up, Peavy struck out seven and opened the game with four hitless innings. He walked Roberts on for the first base runner with two outs in the third. The Red Sox had the bases loaded with no outs in the third, but Napoli lined to short and Jonny Gomes bounced into a double play. NOTES: Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury, sidelined for his 11th straight game after breaking a small bone in his right foot, said hes still planning to be back by the end of the regular season. "Im making great progress. The doctors are pleased with how things are going," he said. "Im taking it day by day." ... Showalter said hell know Thursday whether Miguel Gonzalez (sore right groin) or Bud Norris (sore right elbow) will be able to start Saturday. "Miguel feels pretty good today. Thats pretty encouraging," Showalter said. "I was surprised. He might be a choice for Saturday. Hes going to throw (Thursday). Im going to make a decision (Thursday) whether its Miggy, Bud or somebody else." ... Boston manager John Farrell said "I can see us going with 11 pitchers," when asked his plan for a probable Divisional playoff series. ' ' '

GLENDALE, Ariz. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . - Headed for a last-place finish in the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers are enjoying the chance to play spoilers. Sam Gagner got the tying goal with 40.4 seconds to play in regulation, then scored the winner in the fourth round of the shootout to lift the Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night. "Its nice to get rewarded there," Gagner said of the tying goal. "You have to learn to find ways to win, especially for us down the stretch here." It was a tough loss for the Coyotes, who are vying for the last wild-card spot in the West. Phoenix moved one point ahead of ninth-place Dallas, but the Stars have two games in hand. "Its not about being so much the spoiler. Its fun to be a part of a game that means something," Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said. "Were playing teams that these games are huge for them and we understand. Its fun and its challenging to be in games that really mean something to the other team and I was very interested in how our guys were going to respond." Coyotes coach Dave Tippett compared the loss to an overtime playoff defeat. "The way we gave up the second goal, thats demoralizing, but its no time to hang your head," he said. Oilers defenceman Justin Schultz also scored and Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots through overtime. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the tying goal for the Coyotes in the second period, and Kyle Chipchura put them ahead with 7:18 left in the third. Thomas Greiss also stopped 24 shots for Phoenix. Gagner scored on a deflection, backhanding the puck into the net after a shot from behind the goal by teammate Jordan Eberle to force overtime. Eberle had two assists. Schultz gave his team the early lead in the final minute of the first period. He took a centring pass from Eberle and fired a wrist shot that bounced on the ice and over Greiss outstretched glove hand. The offensive struggles continued for the Coyotes, who have three goals in the past four games, all losses with two overtime shootout defeats. "First period, I thought out execution was poor. Just couldnt get a handle on anything. Didnt pass the puck well," Tippett said. "Our intentions were good, we just couldnt get anything done. Right now we dont have a lot of that in our lineup, the pure execution at high speed." Just 13 seconds into the Coyotes first power play of the game, Ekman-Larsson held the puck for a bit, then shot high to the far corner and found the net with 5:28 left in the second period to even the score at 1-all. The goal ended the Coyotes scoring drought of more than 139 minutes. Greiss kept the Oilers from taking another lead, knocking away a quality shot from Eberle with 2:44 to play in the second. The Coyotes had a chance to add to their lead on a late third-period power play, but Mike Ribeiros shot hit the post. Scrivens went to the bench with a little over a minute to play to give the Oilers an extra attacker, and Edmonton took advantage with the late goal. "An unfortunate mixup, and we let a point slip away again," Chipchura said. The Coyotes lost in a shootout Tuesday to Winnipeg, another non-playoff team. NOTES: Phoenix G Mike Smith (knee injury) took part in the teams morning skate on Friday but is still not ready to play. The Coyotes are expected to update his status in the coming days. ... C Martin Hanzal suffered a lower-body injury early in the third period and did not return. ... RW David Moss returned to action for the Coyotes after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury. ... D David Schlemko was a scratch and has not played since March 6 due to a foot injury. ... Oilers C Tyler Pitlick missed his third straight game with a knee injury. Bryan Bulaga Super Bowl Jersey . "Ive still got it," Seattles ace said with a sly grin. Riding that fastball carrying a little more zip, Hernandez took a shutout bid into the ninth inning as the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night. On the verge of a brilliant shutout and first complete game since Aug. Josh Jackson Super Bowl Jersey . -- Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and the No. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Bart-starr-packers-jersey/ . The Grizzlies erased most of a 25-point deficit before Durant, the leagues scoring champion, got hot.On all levels the 100-year anniversary of the Canadian Skating Championships was an overwhelming success. In honour of the anniversary, over 80 Canadian champions of the past were in attendance to witness one of the best Canadian Championships in many years. What made this championships so successful was first and foremost the inspired and at times heart wrenching performances of Canadas best as they tried to validate four long years of effort in a few short minutes of competition. What we saw was strength in all of the disciplines. Strength across the board, which reminds me of the good old days - the 1988 Calgary Olympics when Canada had its biggest medal haul in skating at the Games, winning medals in three of the four disciplines. Its interesting to note that this will be the biggest Olympic skating team from this country since those 1988 Games and with the addition of the team event it looks likely that Canada will equal or top that medal total from 26 years ago. The audiences were terrific in Ottawa. They were loud, enthusiastic and large in numbers. The packed house on Saturday got their moneys worth and gave numerous standing ovations in return. Highlights for me were plentiful. The womens competition, which in the past has often been the least hotly contested title, was instead more competitive and intriguing that it has ever been. Kaetlyn Osmond showed her trademark composure and charisma after coming back from a season of injuries to defend her title and to prove that her breakout season last year was no fluke. She has a presence that fills the arena and an elusive blend of raw talent and solid technique which is mixed with the soul of an artist. What I find most appealing in Kaetlyns character is the refusal to take herself or the magnitude of the moment too seriously. Each moment is met with a smile, a giggle or a shrug, and with eyes sparkling. This is supposed to be fun, right? To watch her compete is to believe just that. That it is fun. Gabby Daleman at only 15 years of age showed a feisty competitiveness and raw athleticism on her way to winning silver and a ticket to Sochi. Her triple lutz-triple toe, the most difficult triple-triple combination being executed in the world of womens skating, was as good as they come. This kid can fly and showed a focus and nerve quite remarkable for her age. As good as the two at the top are, the rest of the field showed us that they will continue to be pushed, as the final flight was filled with youth, triple jumps and engaging personalities. This bodes well for the seasons to come. Speaking of youth, in the mens event it was 14-year-old Roman Sadovsky and 15-year-old Nam Nguyen who brought the housee to its feet and the scores to new heights in the penultimate flight. Tramon Williams Super Bowl Jersey. These are the numbers that the final group of men were challenged to beat. What we saw was a glimpse of where the next Patrick or Jeffery or Kurt might come from. They were back-to-back exceptional scores, for remarkable performances by young teenagers and once again the future looks bright. Patrick Chan, who came in without challengers due to the fact that Kevin Reynolds was not in peak competition form because of skate malfunctions, was not as sharp as usual and showed signs of his focus being a little split between the here and now, and the larger challenge looming that is the Olympics. But, "not his best" is still world class, and it was the kind of performance that will keep him on his toes without chipping away at his confidence. A rock solid foundation to build on for the games. The drama came in the pairs competition with the intense rivalry building once again between Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch the worlds fourth-ranked pair and world bronze medalists and defending Canadian champions, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford. Like last year the teams were separated by less than a point after the short program with Kirsten and Dylan just behind. That meant that they were the first of the two teams to skate in the free program showdown. About the performance in the free, Meagan said "We didnt know what they did before us, but we did hear a New Canadian Record!" and so they knew that the bar had been raised yet again. Both teams set Canadian records that night and both teams brought the fans to their feet in appreciation of the pairs finesse and fearlessness. The evening wound up with the Ice Dance event which was a "something for everyone" type of affair. It was filled with a variety of genres, an abundance of athleticism and dramatic and emotional musical interpretations. The final flight of dance was of such a high standard that the teams fighting for the third Olympic spot knew that only "their very best" and "not a step wrong" would get them there. In the end it was Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam after two seasons of mishaps and heartaches who nailed the Olympic spot. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje won silver, wowed the crowd and showed with their fluid and refined Tango that they are absolutely Olympic podium worthy. The final skate of an awesome day fell into the capable hands of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. They closed the show and the final chapter of their competitive life at Canadians with their Olympic free dance, a standing ovation and a final good bye. A fitting end to a fabulous day. ' ' '