snt a basketball decision and no one, not even Collins want | Forum

EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Eskimos season has been bad, but at least they prevented it from being history book bad. Jeff Maehl Eagles Jersey . Fred Stamps reeled in a pair of touchdown passes as the Eskimos snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 25-7 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday. Edmonton (2-9) won for their first time at Commonwealth Stadium this season, avoiding a new team record for consecutive losses at home in a game between the CFLs two worst teams. The Eskimos also avoided tying records for most losses in a row at nine set in 1963 and for the worst start to a season set in 1971. "Weve been so close so many times, only to fall short," said Eskimos quarterback Mike Reilly, who threw three touchdown passes and rushed for 113 yards. "You cant help but start to wonder if it is ever going to happen. To finally come out and put together a good performance and be in control of the game for pretty much all four quarters was a nice change-up. We still have a lot to improve on though." Eskimos linebacker J.C. Sherritt hopes that finally getting a win may lead the team in the other direction. "Luckily we got all the bad out early," he said. "There is a lot of season to be played and I think everyone who watches the CFL knows how weird it can get. We just have to keep this going now." The Blue Bombers dropped to 2-9 and continued to struggle trying to capture back-to-back wins, having gone more than two years since the last time they were able to. "It was a comedy of errors," said Winnipeg head coach Tim Burke. "We had way too many turnovers. I think our calls on defence didnt help our players out and I am just as much to blame for that. We just did dumb things all throughout the game." Edmonton caught a big break early in the game as it appeared that Bomber Demond Washington had scored a 77-yard punt return touchdown after the Eskimos went three-and-out on their opening drive. However, the play came back on a holding penalty. The penalty proved even more pivotal two plays later as Winnipeg starting quarterback Justin Goltz had the ball pop loose after a hit by Donovan Alexander and J.C. Sherritt scooped it up at the Edmonton 51. The Eskimos quickly marched down field and scored on an eight-yard passing play from Reilly to Stamps. It was the first time that Edmonton scored a first-quarter touchdown since their Week 2 victory over Hamilton. The Eskimos added a 25-yard Hugh ONeill field goal with four minute left in the opening frame to lead 10-0. Edmontons defence came up big again with three minutes remaining in the first as Chris Rwabukamba picked off a Goltz pass at the Eskimo 51-yard-line. The interception eventually set up a 16-yard TD reception by Adarius Bowman. Edmonton led 17-0 at the end of a first quarter that saw Goltz and the Bombers record negative two passing yards. The second quarter had a much more sedate start as Winnipeg put their first points on the board, as Sandro DeAngelis kicked a 17-yard field goal with two minutes left to make it 17-3. However, the Eskimos quickly countered one minute later as a 45-yard QB keeper by Reilly set up a 25-yard pass into the end zone for Stamps second touchdown on the game and a 24-3 Edmonton lead at the half. Max Hall came into quarterback the Bombers to start the third and briefly sparked the offence before being intercepted in the end zone by Edmonton defensive back Chris Thompson. Winnipeg had a single on a missed field-goal attempt late in the third quarter to make it 24-4. The Eskimos had a punt single early in the fourth before Winnipeg countered with a field goal. The game wound down with an incredibly odd play. The Bombers tried a third down gamble deep in Edmonton territory but the snap was nowhere near the quarterback and the charging Edmonton defenders kicked it down the field. Marcus Howard picked it up and then threw it over his head to Eric Samuels, who looked to have scored a touchdown. The play was called back on an interference call, although Edmonton got possession and was able to run out the clock. The mistake still irked Burke. "I dont know why we snapped the ball when we did it," he said. "It was just different things like that all throughout the game that cost us." The two teams will face each other in a rematch on Friday in Winnipeg. Notes: The Esks and Bombers have split the last five season series. No team has swept the series since 2006 ... Winnipeg was coming off an emotional 25-13 victory over league-leading Saskatchewan ... Reilly entered the game with a 2-10 record in career CFL starts and was facing Winnipeg for first time ... Edmonton had a ton of players return to action for the game, as middle linebacker J.C. Sherritt, defensive ends Odell Willis and Brandon Lang, tailback Hugh Charles and safety Donovan Alexander came back from injuries ... It was the Bombers first game since the trade of veteran quarterback Buck Pierce to the Lions in exchange for Canadian receiver Akeem Foster ... Esks offensive lineman Simeon Rottier, who was called out by general manager Ed Hervey for his poor play in the Labour Day loss to Calgary, returned to the Edmonton lineup ... Winnipeg failed in its attempt to capture its 600th victory in franchise history (599-550-14) and to join Edmonton as the only two clubs to make it to that plateau. LeSean McCoy Eagles Jersey . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. Evan Mathis Eagles Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. http://www.eaglespromart.com/jason-kelce-eagles-jersey/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win.Jason Collins is the NBAs only openly gay athlete and he also happens to be an unemployed free agent. Coincidence? When Collins shared his sexuality with the world six months ago, he was hailed as a trailblazer and applauded for his courage. But Collins is a decade removed from anchoring the New Jersey Nets on back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals, and even the causal basketball fan knew he was on the downside of his career. Collins isnt Jackie Robinson, a young undeniable force poised to break down barriers, so when his name wasnt on an NBA roster on opening night, few were surprised. Collins sexuality wasnt what was holding him back from being in the league, but his talent. The 34 year-old centre had lost a step over the years and was always limited offensively, to the tune of 3.6 points per game for his career. But Collins strength is his ability to provide interior defence, rebound and supply relief minutes off the bench. His age also works in his favour as a veteran who acts accordingly, and as a solid locker room presence. However, those are costly positives at the NBA veterans minimum of $1.4 million, as teams are wary of entering the luxury tax. Collins absence in the league can be reasonably chalked up to one of the best blanket explanations in all of sports: "basketball decisions." According to Ric Bucher at Bleacher Report, several general managers said in October the apprehension of signing Collins didnt stem from concern about the locker room and his teammates, but the non-stop media hype that would come from it. "If it were just an initial blast and you knew it would settle down after that, it would be one thing," said one executive. "But you know this is something that he and his teammates are going to be asked about everywhere they go, all season long, and all it takes is one guy too say something a little off and it could really blow up. Kiko Alonso Eagles Jersey. Hes still good enough to play in the league, but when you throw in the ongoing media frenzy, most teams are going to decide its just not worth it." Already this season, three starting centres (Tyson Chandler, JaVale McGee, Larry Sanders), have suffered injuries that will keep them off the court for 5-6 weeks or more. In the quest for back-up support, Collins was again overlooked. When Golden State Warriors reserve Jermaine ONeal went down with a knee injury last week, the Warriors braintrust, "entertained the idea of asking assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to come out of retirement to fill the void." Scalabrine would also be entitled to the veterans minimum and ironically came into the league with Collins as rookie teammates on the Nets. The Warriors subsequently called up rookie Dewayne Dedmon from their D-League affiliate. While the notion of going with a younger, cheaper player is just smart business, the idea that there is a not-worth-the-hassle notion amongst general managers when it comes to Collins shows that his sexuality is an issue. Jason Collins isnt as talented as Jackie Robinson; he is a serviceable NBA player on the fringe. But if opportunities exist and teams continue to look past him due to concerns over the media fallout of his sexuality, he is being discriminated against just the same as Robinson was in 1947. This isnt a basketball decision and no one, not even Collins wants to be in the league because hes gay; he just wants to play and feels he can contribute. This isnt a situation of players acting ignorant or insensitive, but shortsighted gatekeepers, of which one wouldve likely signed Collins this season, if they were unaware of his sexuality, and thats a bigger problem. Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '