finding a way and somehow, some way, Wednesday rolls | Forum

MELBOURNE, Australia -- As three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic held the Australian Open trophy in a photo shoot before Fridays draw, he joked that having his fingerprints on it may in some way help him win the title for a fourth consecutive year. Mychal Rivera Raiders Jersey . The draw certainly didnt dent Djokovics chances, with top-seeded Rafael Nadal, No. 4 Andy Murray, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro and No. 6 Roger Federer all stacked in the opposite half. Djokovics new coach, six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker, attended the draw and duly noted that Nadal, Federer and co were in "a loaded half, thats for sure." Djokovic, who is on a 24-match winning streak, opens against No. 90-ranked Lukas Lacko and potentially has a quarterfinal against Stanislas Wawrinka, who took him to 12-10 in the fifth set at the Australian Open last year. The bottom half of the draw also contains No. 3 David Ferrer, who lost in a semifinal upset at Auckland on Friday, and No. 7 Tomas Berdych. Djokovic conceded it was an advantage to avoid the other tournament favourites early but said: "Regardless of the draw, the potential opponents that I have in later rounds, I need to direct my attention to my next opponent. There are plenty of players who are able to win the Australian Open this year or any other Grand Slam title." On the womens side, top-ranked Serena Williams opens against Australian teenager Ashleigh Barty and has 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur and two-time finalist Li Na in her half. Two-time defending Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova are in the opposite half, meaning they could only meet Serena Williams in the final. The top half of the mens draw was the talking point, starting with Nadals first-round match against Australian Bernard Tomic. "I think thatll be a night match, for sure," Becker quipped. "But a tough, tricky one for both players. Tomic will certainly have the home support." Nadal missed last years Australian Open with a left knee injury during a seven-month absence from the tour. He returned to win 10 titles in 2013 and regain the No. 1 ranking, overhauling Djokovic in October. Tomic reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2011 and has been ranked as high as No. 27. His only previous meeting with Nadal resulted in a straight-sets defeat in the third round of the 2011 Australian Open. Nadal also has No. 25 Gael Monfils, former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt and 16th-seeded Kei Nishikori in his section. Federer opens against Australian wildcard entry James Duckworth and Murray takes on Go Soeda of Japan. Likely quarterfinals on that half would feature Nadal against del Potro and Federer against Murray. Del Potro was due to play the final of the Sydney International against Tomic on Saturday. In the bottom half of the womens draw, Azarenka faces Johanna Larsson of Sweden in the first round, while Sharapova takes on American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and could face former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals and Azarenka in the semis. Stosur, Australias only seeded player at No. 17, opens against Czech Klara Zakopalova. On Friday, Zakopalova beat Stosur 6-3, 6-2 in the Hobart International semifinals. Derek Carr Raiders Jersey . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. David Ausberry Raiders Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. http:///...llis-raiders-jersey/ . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season.IRVING, Texas -- For years, Tony Romos defenders have answered his penchant for costly late-game mistakes with a rhetorical question: What would the Dallas Cowboys do without him? It appears they will find out in their fourth playoffs-or-bust season finale against an NFC East rival since 2008 -- and their first elimination game without Romo in 10 years. Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Danny White, the last longtime Dallas starter who failed to meet Super Bowl expectations, challenges anyone to come up with a current quarterback who could do better in Romos situation. And hes not kidding. "Name whoever you want," said White, who lost three straight NFC championship games in the 1980s and lost his job to Gary Hogeboom. "I dont care if its Tom Brady, if its Peyton Manning, if its Aaron Rodgers. I can make an argument for Tony getting better results than anybody else could get." Romo has the same support from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on down, which is why the question of whether hes going to play against the Eagles is the hottest topic of the week in the NFL now that the Packers have said Rodgers will return from an seven-game absence for a similar winner-take-all battle for the NFC North title against Chicago. Maybe the Cowboys are trying to keep the Eagles guessing when it comes to Romo, who injured his back during a 24-23 win over Washington that included a fourth-down touchdown pass to DeMarco Murray in the final 2 minutes. Or maybe the Cowboys just cant bring themselves to believe the franchise leader in touchdown passes -- ahead of Troy Aikman, White and Roger Staubach -- is going to miss the game that decides whether they get a playoff game at their $1.2 billion stadium or go home early for the fourth straight season. One things for sure. The confidence of his teammates wasnt shaken after Romos latest crushing error -- an interception that let the Packers finish a rally from a 23-point ddeficit in a 37-36 win two weeks ago. Sean Smith Jersey. Never mind that Romo is 1-6 in elimination games -- three losses in the playoffs and three in season finales against NFC East rivals with the division title and a playoff spot on the line, including the past two years against the New York Giants and Washington. Romo, whose only playoff win was against Philadelphia in the 2009 season, ruined the last chance for a rally against the Redskins last season with an interception late in the fourth quarter. "Everything we are and we have accomplished over the last few years, that you believe in and you hold on to, is because of him," said tight end Jason Witten, the franchise leader in catches who came into the league with Romo in 2003. "What he creates week in and week out, day in and day out, I dont think you look at a couple of plays and determine. I think that would be foolish for anybody to do that." Jones unwavering support for Romo -- backed by the off-season signing of a six-year, $108 million contract extension with more guaranteed money than Super Bowl winner Joe Flacco -- could get a little tricky if Orton leads an improbable win against the Eagles. Philadelphia jumped from a 2 1/2-point favourite to a 6 1/2-point pick after news of the Romo injury broke. The Cowboys obviously arent worried about those implications at the moment. Theyre simply trying to tell the world they can beat the high-scoring Eagles without the guy who carries the label of the quarterback who cant win the big one, or keeps finding ways to lose it. "Tony is our guy but weve got to move ahead and go from there," receiver Dez Bryant said. "For us, we believe in our quarterbacks. I dont think its going to be much of a big issue for us." Romo didnt practice Wednesday or Thursday, and coach Jason Garrett said he wasnt involved in many meetings either. He missed his regular weekly media session Thursday and hasnt been seen during the open portion of practice or in the locker room. And yet, the Cowboys just cant seem to let go. "I think weve gotten used to him kind of limping around and finding a way and somehow, some way, Wednesday rolls around and hes back out there," Witten said. "I think we all believed that would be the case." It wasnt, so maybe now the world will find out what the Cowboys can do without him. 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 ' ' '