lucylily's blog: "ght"

Reasons to Believe1. Defensive Building Blocks - The Cardinals defence showed a lot of improvement as last season went along. Yes, they finished 18th in total defence, but they were best in the NFL when it came to third-down defence. They also have some solid young talent to build around like linebackers Sam Acho and Daryl Washington, corner Patrick Peterson and defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett. This is a unit that has potential. 2. Call Me Fitz - With the exception of Calvin Johnson, is there a better receiver in football than Larry Fitzgerald? He has gone for over 1,000 yards in each of the last five seasons. Despite middling quarterback play, he is a nightmare for opposing defences who have to roll coverages his way, which in turn should open up opportunities for the Cards to run the ball. 3. Many Happy Returns - Patrick Peterson and LaRod Stephens-Howling are as good of a return tandem as you will find in the NFL. Both can score from anywhere and opposing teams are gun shy about kicking the ball their way. This generally means better field position for the Cardinals to work with. Reasons to Doubt1. Quarterback Conundrum - Has there been a worse signing over the last few years than Kevin Kolb in Arizona? Kolb was supposed to be the saviour in the desert but has yet to deliver on any of the promise he had shown in Philadelphia. John Skelton meanwhile has a big arm going for him, but not much else. Skelton has mechanics issues and is likely not the long-term answer for the Cardinals either. 2. Run For Your Life - Making matters worse for Arizonas quarterbacks is the amount of time they have to spend running for their lives after opposing pass-rushers bull their way through. The Cardinals were fourth-worst in the NFL last season in sacks given up per play. Adding to their pass-protection woes, starting left-tackle Levi Brown is lost for the year after suffering a torn-biceps during the pre-season. 3. Balky Running Back Knees - Beanie Wells actually has his first 1,000 yard rushing season last year but that line is deceptive. After a strong start, he did basically nothing for two months before padding his stats with a 228 yard day against the awful Rams. He also missed two games with knee issues that forced him to have off-season surgery. Ryan Williams, the Cardinals 2011 first round pick, was lost for the year after tearing his patellar tendon. He is back this season but having to rely on two guys with a history of knee problems and durability issues is not a recipe for success. What to ExpectThe Cardinals shouldnt challenge San Francisco for the NFC West crown this season. The Kolb-Skelton not-so-dynamic duo just isnt good enough to contend in the NFL. Throw in the fact that the Cardinals project to face the eighth-most difficult schedule this year and a winning season is unlikely. That said, their defence should give them a chance to win a few games and they do still have the benefit of playing four games against St. Louis and Seattle. If they can sweep the Rams and Seahawks, get any sort of consistent quarterback play and keep their running backs healthy a . 500 record might be attainable.www.nfldolphinsteameshop.com/Elite-Michael-Egnew-Kids-Jersey-Ji-89.html . -- The Chiefs put centre Rodney Hudson on injured reserve Wednesday with a broken bone in his left leg and signed offensive linemen Russ Hochstein and Bryan Mattison to provide depth. www.nfldolphinsteameshop.com/Elite-Randy-Starks-Kids-Jersey-Hu-16.html . The IceDogs netminder made 26 saves for his second straight shutout and league-leading sixth of the season as Niagara hammered the Belleville Bulls 6-0 on Thursday night. http://www.nfldolphinsteameshop.com/Elite-Brandon-Fields-Kids-Jersey-Ss-68.html . Daniel Alfredssons first goal of the season Wednesday was one of 12 different scorers on the gamesheet in Ottawas 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.www.nfldolphinsteameshop.com/Elite-Dan-Marino-Kids-Jersey-Ue-52.html . Louis Cardinals, who remain in top spot in the TSN.ca MLB Power Rankings, ahead of the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. www.nfldolphinsteameshop.com/Elite-Ryan-Tannehill-Kids-Jersey-Cy-15.html .C. -- When the 2012 CFL season ended, Jarious Jackson looked forward to helping the Toronto Argos win another Grey Cup. BOSTON -- The atmosphere in the Red Sox clubhouse must improve. The track record on free agent signings is "not good enough." And the teams stunning collapse was "painful" for fans. Ben Cherington admitted all of that on Tuesday. Now, as Bostons new general manager, he must work on a daunting array of tasks left behind when Theo Epstein departed to become president of baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs. "My eyes are wide opened that there are going to be tough days that come with this job," Cherington, who joined the Red Sox in 1999 as a mid-Atlantic scout, said at his introductory news conference, "but theres so much enormous upside." The franchise sank to a new low with the worst September collapse in baseball history. The Red Sox began the month in first place in the AL East and with a nine-game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays for a wild-card berth. But the Rays won that spot on the final day of the regular season. Then, reports came out about problems in the clubhouse. A Boston Globe story said starting pitchers Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey drank beer and ate fried chicken there during games in which they werent scheduled to pitch. Will the team ban beer in the clubhouse during games? "Theres a lot that goes into a good clubhouse culture," said Cherington, who spent the last three years as Epsteins assistant. "Were going to hire a manager. Thats a very important step. And hes going to work with us on any changes that we feel are necessary." One of his immediate priorities is settling on compensation from the Cubs for signing Epstein with one year left on his contract. "Im sure Theo and I will get a chance to talk about it in the coming days. There was an agreement from both sides that we were to receive significant compensation," Cherington said. "So the question is: can we agree on what significant compensation means?" Cherington, 37, also must replace Terry Francona, whose eight-year run as manager ended two days after the season. He has "a short list" of candidates and expects to begin interviews soon, although he noted that Francona wasnt hired until after Thanksgiving in 2004. "I want someone who cares about players but is also willing and ready to have tough conversations with them," he said. Francona was known as a players manager with few rules, but team president Larry Lucchino said Tuesday the team doesnt necessarily need a sterner boss. "We just want an effective leader whose voice the players respond to," he said. "Sometimes that can be a gentle rider. Sometimes that needs to be more of a disciplinarian." The key is having talented, committed players. Cherington said he wants to retain designated hitter David Orrtiz and closer Jonathan Papelbon, both eligible for free agency, and has had "initial dialogue" with both.dddddddddddd Before last season, the Red Sox traded for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and signed left-fielder Carl Crawford as a free agent. But Crawford had a disappointing season. And John Lackey, signed in 2010 to a US$82.5-million, five-year contract, went 12-12 with a 6.41 earned-run average. Cherington said Tuesday that the right-hander will undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery and that he expects Lackey to have a much better season in 2013. The track record on free agent signings is not "good enough," Cherington said, but "there are players on this team now that we signed as free agents that we still really believe in and that I was a strong proponent of signing." One of those was Crawford and Cherington expects him to bounce back. Still, "I think we have to look at that (free agent) area and look critically at perhaps why we havent performed as well." Cherington joined the Red Sox when John Harrington was owner and Dan Duquette was general manager. John Henry, Tom Werner and Lucchino took over as owners in 2002 and fired Duquette at spring training that year. Cherington became director of player development in 2002. Then, when Epstein left after the 2005 season in a difference of opinion over front office responsibilities, Cherington and Jed Hoyer served as co-general managers for six weeks before Epstein returned. Lucchino praised Cherington as "the ultimate team player, and his hunger for the future success of the Boston Red Sox is second to none." Having worked closely with Epstein, how is Cherington different from his predecessor? After all, both grew up in New England as Red Sox fans. "Well," he said, "I cant play guitar." And his news conference wasnt as well attended as Epsteins earlier in the day. "Thanks to those of you who avoided the flight to Chicago and stayed here," he said to reporters who skipped Epsteins introduction by the Cubs. But he acknowledged that he and Epstein have a similar approach to building a team, combining statistical analysis with traditional scouting and having "relentless lineups that are full of guys that get on base and drive up pitch counts." That helped bring World Series championships in 2004 and 2007, the Red Sox first since 1918. And Cherington sounded a note of optimism that the team, which ended August with an 83-52 record, would recover from the September flop. "I know weve let our fans down in recent weeks," he said. "Theyve been painful, difficult, but what Im left with is an incredible conviction that the Red Sox will be the best organization moving forward." wholesale jerseys china ' ' '