If West Coast fans thought gun recruit Sam Mitchell was good in 2012, they should have seen him the year before. Terry Steinbach Athletics Jersey . Or a few years later.The former Hawthorn onballer this week added the AFLs greatest individual accolade to his decorated resume, named co-Brownlow Medallist alongside Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, after Essendons Jobe Watson was stripped of the award.Cotchin, who also earned his sole All-Australian selection and was named the AFL coaches associations player of the year in 2012, looks back on it as his best season. Not so Mitchell.Its awkward to say probably not but I dont think so, Mitchell said with a grin on Thursday.I had a strong season, obviously Im sitting here (as a Brownlow Medallist) but probably the year before I was slightly better.I was ineligible (through suspension) and Dane Swan polled 34, which was the most ever at that stage. I think Ive been reasonably consistent over those years.And he has. Mitchell was Hawthorns leading Brownlow vote-getter or runner-up in all but one of the past 10 years - the sole exception being 2014, when he missed nine weeks with a hamstring injury.He polled a career-high 30 votes when he fell short to Swan in 2011 and was arguably just as good in 2015, racking up 26 votes as the Hawks capped off their premiership three-peat.At 34, Mitchell will be the third-oldest active player in the AFL next season behind Western Bulldogs stalwarts Bob Murphy and Matthew Boyd.As with all players, father time is bound to catch up eventually.But Mitchells class and tactical nous suggest the Eagles have plenty to look forward to when he links up with his new teammates later this month.He and Cotchin will receive their Brownlow medals in a private ceremony next month and Mitchell says hes keen for the turmoil surrounding the 2012 award to be put to rest.Theres a lot of things that have happened in the past that have got very little to do with us, he said.But when Ive got my son sitting there and I get a phone call saying youre a Brownlow Medallist, Id be lying if I (said) it was not a joyful experience to share that with my family right at that point. Catfish Hunter Athletics Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Dave Henderson Athletics Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. http://www.athleticsauthenticshop.com/ . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. TORONTO -- Madeline Flynn didnt know I was watching her.She was sitting in the rafters of the Air Canada Centre between two children, both blond, a boy and a girl. They were in their seats well ahead of Thursdays opening faceoff between Canada and Team Europe. Madeline was older, 70, I would find out, wearing a Canada T-shirt under her black jacket. The girl was sporting a Canada T-shirt, too. The boy was wearing a Sidney Crosby sweater, of course. A grandmother and her grandkids, I thought. Or hoped. Maybe theyre the ones. Then Madeline took a big gulp of a beer, and I knew I had found my girl.In my pocket, I had four great tickets to that nights game: Section 110, Row 12, Seats 1, 2, 3 and 4. Golds, toward one end of the ice, close enough to see and hear the action as though you were in it. In Toronto, the fans are in the upper reaches. The lower bowl is for the stiffs and the suits. It is a world devoid of children. One tiny socket of it was about to change.Its a strange responsibility, choosing which strangers are going to be the lucky ones. I walked around the little catwalks and concourses at the top of the arena, hemming and hawing. I saw a father and a son, young, glasses, eager on the edge of his seat. I saw another father and son in matching Canada sweaters. I liked the way they were leaning into each other.But then I saw Madeline, and her grandkids, and her beer. I was worried she would think I was a creep when I walked up to her, because I am kind of a creep. I asked her whether the kids were in fact her grandkids.Yes, she said. The girl was Siobhan, 11. The boy was Jack, 9.Was it just the three of them there?Yes, she said.Did they want to come watch the game with me down by the ice?Madelines face lit up like a firework. Yes, yes, yes! she said.The four of us made our way downstairs. I cant believe it, Madeline said. We came out of the concourse into the blinding white light of the ice. Not many seats were down the stairs in front of us. Thousands of them were up. We walked down.Madeline took out her phone and took a picture. I asked if she was going to send it to anyone. Absolutely, she said. She told me she has four sons, each hockey crazy. Im going to make them drool!By one of those miracles of fate, I had found the perfection that is Madeline Flynn. She was a stay-at-home mom. She had her four boys in a span of five years. They were a handful. There was an outdoor rink across the street from their house. We went there every day, she said. I loved every minute of it.Her boys all grew up to play the game; now they are scattered across North America, but three of them still coach. A son who lives in New Brunswick floods a rink in his yard every winter; its surrounded by old fishing nets strung through with lights. Madeline said its filled with kids from the time they get out of schooll until 10 oclock at night. Catfish Hunter Jersey. he has nine grandkids, and they all play sports too. They call her Grammy. Siobhan is a center on her hockey team. I asked why she liked hockey.I like when they fight, she said. Her favorite player is Steven Stamkos.Jack plays defense. What does he love?Bodychecking, he said. His favorite player was obvious from his sweater.Madeline has spent thousands and thousands of hours watching the game. I love the speed, the excitement and the fan participation, she said. I just feel that Im there. Im never bored watching hockey. Her favorite player is Carey Price, through and through, she said.The game started. Its so loud down here, Madeline said. I dont think Ive ever seen people watch hockey as intently as Madeline and her grandkids. Their eyes never left the puck.Madeline was subtle about it, but she used the play to pass on little lessons to Siobhan and Jack. They werent always about the game. Or they were about the game but also about something larger.Siobhan was worried Canada wasnt taking enough shots. Thats OK, Madeline told her. You have to have quality shots.Brent Burns tried to make a rush but lost the puck. You cant do it alone, Madeline said. Thats why its a team game.John Tavares had a wide-open net in front of him and instead hit the post. They dont know how much time they have, she said.Madeline went to the washroom, and I told Siobhan how lucky she was to have such a great grammy. She nodded. She is awesome, Siobhan said.Team Europe carried a 1-0 lead deep into the third. I told Madeline that if she had to leave, that was OK. Oh God, no, she said. Are you kidding? The kids were staying with her that night. I mentioned school the next morning. Theyre going to be late, Madeline said.There was maybe five minutes left. Im still hopeful, Madeline said. She asked the young woman in front of her to turn her hat inside out, which she did. Now we have our rally cap! Madeline said. If we get one, well get two.With 2:53 left, Patrice Bergeron got one.Siobhan said something that I didnt hear above the roaring crowd, Madeline roaring with it. What did she say? Its her positive energy, Siobhan said.A little more than two minutes later, with less than a minute to go, Brad Marchand got Madelines second, maybe 100 feet in front of her eyes. She was screaming on her feet, her grandkids jumping around beside her. She smothered them in hugs. She smothered me in a hug. It was one of the best hugs of my life. I told her I was so glad to have met her. I might have told her I loved her. Our eyes were maybe a little wet.I will never forget this! Madeline cried over the noise of the crowd. Absolutely wonderful!You dont know how much time you have. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '