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FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. MO CHEEKS (Pistons): Out as coach. Am I surprised? No. The team is dysfunctional and is a collection of parts that dont know how to or want to commit to playing team ball. Talent - sure theyve got that but they look like a summer AAU team with a bunch of guys that are looking to showcase their individual games. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are Exhibit A and B. When does President/GM Joe Dumars eventually admit that hes lost his way and submit his resignation? How many more coaches are going to be blamed for his moves? Maybe Lionel Hollins comes in and saves Dumars job. Hollins is a no-nonsense coach who wont tolerate whats gone on there of late. Better get this right and quick. 2. TORONTO RAPTORS SCHEDULE: Have played a ton (28) of road games already. At 14-14 thats respectable but the time to win the Atlantic Division and also try to claim the third seed in the East has come. 19 of the final 32 games are at home. They have under-performed at home with a record of 12-10 and for this season to take off in a positive direction again the assertive play must reappear. To have a really nice season you hang around .500 on the road which theyve done and you take no prisoners at home. The schedule has turned with no more than two games in a row on the road the rest of the way. Time to get it done. They are more than capable of doing it. 3. GORAN DRAGIC (Suns): You see his numbers (27 points and six assists) since he was snubbed from the West All-Star team. The man is on a mission. Without Eric Bledsoe he has kept his team at a high level. Hes wonderfully skilled but what Ive seen of late as well is a little nasty streak like hes got even more to prove. Good for him. Hes doing it. 4. TAJ GIBSON (Bulls): He has been given the opportunity to start and play more minutes and hes delivering. Love his energy and second effort. Improved his face-up game and can get his game off in the lane though hes a bit undersized. Considering that Carlos Boozer looks like a guy that will be amnestied next season its going to be important in this homestretch of the season to determine if Gibson can carry starters minutes and hold up effectively. So far - solid. 5. NIKOLA VUCEVIC (Magic): Back from a concussion and suddenly the Magic are beating elite teams. Hes a terrific young player who was an absolute steal for them. When hes played this year he is scoring over 13 points and getting close to 11 boards a game while shooting 50 per cent. The stability of having a guy you can throw it into the post and get productivity from is so helpful. Hes a tough guy on the backboards and competes hard. Knows and accepts his role and is a good long term fit for their franchise. A keeper. Lane Thomas Jersey . -- Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend. Cardinals Jerseys 2020 . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/804...-cardinals.html. Acclaimed by world football leaders but held in contempt by many football fans. Blatter should arrive at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo to watch host Brazil play Croatia confident that this tournament -- his fifth as president -- wont be his last leading the worlds favourite sport. St. Louis Cardinals Pro Shop . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. Jose Martinez Cardinals Jersey . -- Keith Aulie has joined the Tampa Bay Lightning.(NLL) - The two-time defending champion Rochester Knighthawks re-signed veteran defenceman Scott Self to a three-year contract on Monday. Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. The 34-year-old is in his 14th season in the National Lacrosse League after winning his first championship with the Knighthawks last year. "Im hopeful that – knock on wood – that I can finish my career in Rochester," Self said. "Its a good feeling that they still believe Im a big part of this team going forward." "Scotts a veteran leader and a solid defenseman," Knighthawks assistant coach Jason Johnson said. "Hes a good leader on the floor. Although he may not be as vocal as some of the others, he leads by the way he plays. Hes also an extra man that can take faceoffs, and if you watch him in practice, hes not a bad shooter either." Self is the latest member of the leagues top defence from 2013 to sign a long-term deal with the Knighthawks. Paul Dawson and Mike Kirk each agreed to four-year contracts, while goaltender Matt Vinc signed a five-year deal. Team captain Sid Smith inked a seven-year deal as well. "Scott is a steady force on the backend. Hes very quiet, but he does all of the little things right," said Kirk, an assistant capptain for the Knighthawks.dddddddddddd "When I first came into the league, I had the opportunity to learn from Selfer in Chicago. I can still learn from a guy like that and the rest of the team can learn from him because he does all of the little things so well." In addition, Selfs younger brother, Brad, re-signed with the Knighthawks for four years. "We built a really solid foundation with our defense back there and hes just another piece that fits in real well," said Selfs younger brother. "Hes obviously a guy who has a lot of experience. Hes been a captain for quite some time in Peterborough. Hes a pretty calming influence, a pretty relaxed guy. Hes a pretty competitive guy and hes really comfortable with the scheme." With contract negotiations now finished, Self can focus on his performance on the turf. He recovered six loose balls and forced a turnover in the season-opening win against Minnesota on December 28th. Through 190 career games, he has scored 43 goals and 124 assists while gathering 946 loose balls. Self is also a three-time All-Star. "I really like our defensive scheme," he said. "Its very, very simple. Were grateful to have a goalie like Matt Vinc too. We definitely give up shots, but we dictate where we give up the shots from, and Matts able to kind of gobble those up. Its a fun system to play in." ' ' '