tions," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "Hes going to reall | Forum

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. Wayne Rooney Manchester Jersey . -- With the Winter Olympics coming over the horizon, its tempting to want to wrap Canadas top athletes in bubble wrap so they stay in one piece over the next few weeks. Sorry, cant happen, says snowboarder Maelle Ricker, the reigning Olympic champion in womens snowboard cross. The start of Rickers season was delayed by a concussion, but she vows she wont back off between now and February, when the Winter Games will be held in Sochi, Russia. "You cant be hesitating or hanging back or holding things back," she said Friday at Lake Louise. "It doesnt work that way. Thats just not the way to look at it. Youve got to keep your level of riding, keep progressing and hopefully you peak in February." Ricker became the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal in a home Games when she won in 2010 in Vancouver. She says a training crash "sent me on my head" earlier this month in Austria. The 34-year-old from Squamish, B.C., returned to Canada with a mild concussion instead of racing the first World Cup of the season in Montafon, Austria. The cobwebs cleared in time for Ricker to compete at the Sportcheck Snowboard World Cup in Lake Louise, which is the closest boardercross race to home shes had since winning gold on Cypress Mountain. Ricker and Dominique Maltais of Petite-Riviere-St Francois, Que., qualified Friday for the womens quarter-finals, semifinals and finals Saturday. Calgarys Chris Robanske was first in mens qualifying. Hell be joined in Saturdays main event by teammates Rob Fagan of Squamish and Kevin Hill of Vernon, B.C. Robanske, Ricker and Maltais have already qualified for Sochi. Ricker is also the reigning world champion after winning this years title in Stoneham, Que. Maltais, 33, won the overall World Cup snowboardcross title each of the last three years and was a bronze medallist at the 2006 Winter Games. Robanskes World Cup win at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ont., last season was the first by a Canadian male since 2007. Maltais opened this season finishing second in Montafon. Shes been a model of consistency and her reward has been the crystal globe that goes to World Cup champions. "You have to be on it pretty much every race," Maltais said. "I love what Im doing. Im always looking to improve myself. "Everything Im eating, everything Im touching is to make me a faster, better athlete and a better person too." Maltais and Ricker make Canada a double medal threat in womens boardercross in Sochi. The two women are supportive of each other and will high-five each other even before going head-to-head in a final. "I have so much respect for Dom when were on course," Ricker said. "Shes really pushed the level the last few years. Its really made our whole girls team rise up. "When were on course, were definitely not trying to take each other out. Thats not the idea. The idea is we both get to stand on the podium." Instead of racing each other in four-boarder heats as they do Saturday, the snowboarders race alone against the clock in qualifying. The top 32 men and 16 women advance. Maltais was second and Ricker fifth among women. Robanske was the fastest man with Fagan third and Hill 16th. Lake Louise is a rare race close to home for Robanske, who learned to snowboard at Calgarys Canada Olympic Park at the age of nine. He crashed in Montafon and is racing with injured soft tissue in his right elbow. "What we do is extreme and injuries happen," Robanske said. "If anything, its kind of an advantage for me. I put less pressure on myself when I have something wrong or somethings not working. I think Im going to have a good day tomorrow." Ricker has achieved the pinnacle of her sport, but she doesnt see Sochi as a place where she cant do better than she did in Vancouver. "I dont think about that at all," she said. "If youre thinking about that then maybe youre kicking yourself in the butt. "The big thing that most of us are looking for is that feeling of the perfect run where everything comes together. I really hope its going to produce a good result, but one thing I definitely realized in Vancouver was it was the whole journey leading up to that day and thats sort of where Im at right now." Sam Johnstone Manchester Jersey . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Paddy McNair Manchester Jersey . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. http://www.manutdfcsoccershop.com/...nited-fc-jersey.aspx ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition.LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Two of the top freshmen in the country wont have a whole lot of time to get acclimated to college basketball before squaring off in an early season showdown. Try just four days each. Canadas Andrew Wiggins is the headliner for the most heralded class at Kansas in years, while Jabari Parker is the biggest name headed to Duke. The two of them will face each other Nov. 12 at the United Center in Chicago as part of a doubleheader that also features Michigan State-Kentucky. Two more programs boasting a slew of stellar freshmen. In an era of one-and-done superstars, the first-year players hitting the hardwood this season may trump any other year. Along with Wiggins and Parker, theres Kentuckys class of Julius Randle, Dakari Johnson, James Young and the Harrison brothers, Aaron and Andrew. Theres also Noah Vonleh at Indiana, Aaron Gordon at Arizona and Kasey Hill at Florida. All of them have the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft next year. In the meantime, all of them will be trying to deliver an NCAA title. "We can be great, the best team in the country," Wiggins told The Associated Press. "We have a young team, the chemistry is really good. The first couple weeks of practice were hard for the freshmen, but everything is coming easier now, more fluid. So the potential is there." Potential is a dangerous word in college basketball. There are no sure bets. Plenty of highly touted players have flamed out before they ever earned a dime. It happens every year. But perhaps never before has a group of freshmen promised to make such a statement on the national stage. Just about every program with a chance to compete for a national championship this season will be counting on at least one first-year player to make an immediate impact. In the case of Kansas, its more than one. Wiggins may be the most recognizable name, but combo guard Wayne Selden and raw 7-footer Joel Embiid have the potential to be lottery picks. Theyre joined by a group of freshmen that includes sharpshooters Conner Frankamp, Frank Mason and Brannen Greene. "Theres as much hype around this year as any," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said, "and I think its a large part because of the unknown. Weve had other good players and other good teams return and this team hasnt proven itself at all. But the unknown has everyone excited." Kansas opens the season against Louisiana Monroe on Nov. 8, the same day Duke opens its season against Davidson. The two blue bloods -- and their blue cchippers -- collide four days later. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson Manchester Jersey. On the same floor that night will be Kentucky coach John Caliparis latest bumper crop, which some pundits believe could be the best recruiting class in college basketball history. Randle is a bruising forward who can also play the wing. The Harrisons should form a dangerous backcourt. Johnson is a talented, athletic centre. Young is the quintessential wing scorer. Just like the newcomers at Kansas and Duke, though, theyll have to get accustomed to playing with each other in a hurry. The Wildcats play UNC-Asheville and Northern Kentucky before they head to Chicago for their high-profile date with the Spartans. "Let them get on the court," Calipari said. "Weve got some tough games early. Weve got one of the best schedules in the country. Weve got one of the most inexperienced teams in the country. So it will be interesting." Vonleh, a 6-foot-9 forward, should give the Hoosiers a bruising inside presence as they chase their second straight Big Ten title. Hell compete with Michigans Derrick Walton Jr., the heir to guard Trey Burke, among others for the honour of the leagues best freshman. Out in the desert, the 6-8 Gordon is already drawing comparisons to Blake Griffin -- much to the chagrin of Arizona coach Sean Miller, who is trying to temper expectations just a bit. "Hes extremely focused. Hes somebody that is tireless in his own approach to be great," Miller said. "But yet, at the same time, because of how he plays the game and conducts himself, hes a fun guy to have as a teammate. Hes a fun guy to have as part of your program." As high as expectations are for Gordon -- California coach Mike Montgomery called him "just a monster" -- theyre just as high for Hill, who is expected to take over for Kenny Boynton and run the point for Florida. Hell join a veteran team that includes forward Patric Young. "What you can do as a coach when you have an unknown -- youve never coached a guy, youve never been in a game with a guy, never been in a huddle with a guy -- I dont know how hes going to respond in certain situations," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "Hes going to really have to be able to understand there is going to be a lot on him, but I dont need to overwhelm him." Good luck with that, Billy. Then again, considering all the touted freshmen wholl be playing important minutes for their teams this season, there are a whole lot of coaches worrying about the exact same thing. 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 Soccer Jerseys ' ' '