Black- and Whitelist » And of course the young Canadian players

TORONTO - James Johnson hobbled to his locker Saturday night, one arm slung around Toronto Raptors teammate Jonas Valanciunas.From his locker across the room, DeMar DeRozan said loudly, to no one in particular: Move the cameramen back. Damn camera people. Theyve taken out some good men.The performances of DeRozan and Valanciunas were the highlights of the Raptors 111-93 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday — a night otherwise marred by an ankle injury to Johnson, when he stepped on a cameramans foot.It is an issue, DeRozan told reporters. You always hate to see someone get hurt because of that. With me experiencing guys (getting hurt), the Paul George situation (George horrifically broke his leg stepping on the basket stanchion), everything under there. Its kind of scary.Hopefully its nothing too serious with James.Coming off two uncharacteristically low-scoring games, DeRozan rediscovered his offensive form, scoring 27 points to lead the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors (8-2).Valanciunas had 17 points and 14 rebounds in his best game of the season, while Kyle Lowry had 19 points, and the Raptors dismantled the Jazz with a sizzling fourth quarter.Patrick Patterson chipped in with 16 points for Toronto, while Lou Williams scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth.In his previous two games, DeRozan shot 4 for 15 for 16 points against Washington, then a woeful 3 for 17 for a season-low 10 points against Chicago on Thursday.But he was back in form against the Jazz, shooting 10 for 17 from the floor on an array of jumpers and dunks.When you win or you play well, everybodys hugging you and kissing and on your shoulders. But when you have a bad game, everybody wants to panic, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.I dont know how many times Babe Ruth struck out but I guarantee you he struck out more than he hit home runs. When youre a scorer for a team like DeMar is for us, youre going to have (off) nights like that. I dont care how many he misses, hes going to come back and hit those same shots and he showed that tonight.Valanciunas hasnt been at his best all season but was solid at both ends of the court Saturday.He got himself involved tonight, Lowry said of Valanciunas. He rebounded the ball well, he played physical, he played with a lot of energy, he got himself going tonight. So we fed off his energy tonight.Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter had 18 points apiece to top Utah (4-7).Neither team led by more than seven points through three quarters that saw the lead change hands 16 times in front of a capacity crowd of 19,800 at the Air Canada Centre.Toronto has made a habit of strong fourth quarters, and Saturday was more of the same. Williams scored on a pretty 19-foot turnaround jumper that put the Raptors up by nine with just over five minutes to play.And when Lowry found a sprinting DeRozan, who finished with a massive running slam dunk, it gave Toronto a 13-point cushion with 4:24 to play and brought the fans out of their seats.The Raptors showed no mercy, as Lowry drained a three to put the home team up by 16 as they cruised to victory.The Raptors entered the game even with Chicago atop the East, but it was the Bulls that snapped Torontos five-game winning streak on Thursday, in an ugly 100-93 decision that Valanciunas had called a cold shower.The catchphrase going into Saturdays fifth of the Raptors seven-game homestand was: bounce back.It was a grind-it-out game and a lot of it is a byproduct of having some many home games every other day, a very stressful game against Chicago, Casey said. Right, wrong or indifferent, even though it was just one of 82, mentally it would wear on you. Physically, too.Johnson, who was coming off a couple of solid performances for the Raptors, left the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle — T.V. replays show he rolled it when he stepped on a cameramans foot.The mishap had Raptors GM Masai Ujiri livid after the game.Cameramen at the Air Canada Centre sit in a small apron on the baseline, their backs up against three rows of VIP seating.Utah, meanwhile, was playing the second of back-to-back games, having edged New York 102-100 the night before.Jazz coach Quin Snyder praised his young teams performance saying If you look at the game after three-and-a-half quarters, you have got to feel like there was some really good things.He also had kind words for Toronto.Thats a very good team, Snyder said. They are a team that is difficult to defend when they get going. One of the things that (Casey) does so well and its a credit to their players too, they complement one another, nobody tries to do too much, they pick their spots where everybody has a role. DeRozan scored 10 points in the first quarter, and his jumper a couple minutes into the game gave the Raptors a six-point lead. The Jazz went on an 18-8 run to go up by four, and a three-pointer by Burks at the buzzer sent Utah into second with a 25-23 lead.Kanter led the way with eight points in the second, including a 20-foot jumper that gave the Jazz a seven-point lead — their biggest at that point. A late spurt by Toronto pulled the Raptors to within 49-46 at halftime.DeRozan had 11 points in the third but it was Terrence Rosss spectacular alley-oop dunk from Lowry — Ross had to reach behind his head to catch the ball — that was the highlight of the quarter, and put Toronto up by seven.The Raptors host Memphis on Wednesday then cap their homestand against Milwaukee on Friday.NOTES: Brad Jacobs, Ryan Harnden and E.J. Harnden — three members of Canadas mens curling team that won gold in Sochi — were at the game. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China Soccer Jerseys China .com) - DAngelo Harrison posted 21 points to guide No. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/. -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans. Fake Soccer Jerseys . Granlund scored 2:04 into the first period. Max Reinhart, on his first NHL shift of the season, neatly stripped the puck from Zack Smith at the Senators blue-line. As he moved in, his attempted shot deflected into the slot where Granlund buried a shot past Craig Anderson. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys .Inter Milan and Napoli also advanced to ensure there will be at least three Italian clubs in the last 32 of Europes secondary competition.Spurs victory, secured by Benjamin Stamboulis 49th-minute winner, was overshadowed by a succession of pitch invasions that forced the referee to halt the game after 41 minutes.As an elite athlete and Olympic gold medallist, how did you make the transition to sports broadcaster?Well, the camera never scared me – I always enjoyed doing interviews and tried to have fun with them. And when an opportunity presents itself, I like to dive at it head-first. When I was competing on Battle of the Blades, [I was asked] to come in for a screen test with Leafs TV. It was something I was interested in, so I immediately decided to jump at it. I fell in love with the job the second they put that mic in my hand, and Ive worked hard every day trying to get better. Its my new passion.How does your experience in sports shape your perspective on what athletes go through?Being an athlete is a privilege, its not something I took for granted. And its something that allows me to connect with and relate to other athletes as theyre competing at the top level. Having been able to play at such a high level, Ive seen a lot of fantastic athletes and the way they prepare. You can relate with steps theyre walking through: going over shifts in their mind, or even calming their nerves [in the clutch]. And the quality that all competitive athletes have in common is the fact that we all want to be perfect. Thats what we strive for, even though its never really attainable. So I understand that feeling, and I empathize with them. Youre well known as an Olympic hockey player, but do you play any other sports?I was most focused on hockey and soccer up until I went to college, and I ended up having to choose one, because you cant play both. But in high school I played flag football, softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, soccer, and of course hockey. I just enjoy competing, and I think it was also a cheap excuse to get out of class sometimes!One other sport Im passionate about: I recently fell in love with my road bike. Ive got the need for speed. Oh, and I also play tennis with friends for fun. By no means am I Serena Williams, though in my head sometimes I do think I hit as hard as she does!You were a panelist for womens hockey broadcasts on TSN during the Sochi Olympics. What was it like covering a team you played for?Those are my best friends – theyre my sisters. I spent years training with them. Weve laughed together, cried together, won together, and learned together. So to step in and cover it was an emotional experience, having just been released from the team. It was also a great learning experience for me. I wanted to give not only the Canadian women but the sport of womens hockey the best possible coverage, because I think they deserve it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to come up with unique points to break down the game differently, not only to show how skilled these athletes are, but to teach the viewer about our sport, because its a little different from the mens game. Due to the no body contact rules, its a speed and finesse game. It made me proud to be able to talk about my friends, not only from Canada, but the USA, Finland, Sweden, Swiitzerland, and more.dddddddddddd To share their stories with the rest of Canada, and to let viewers know how much attention they deserve.Youre also part of the Champions network with the Special Olympics, how did you get involved with it?It was actually through Jamie Salé. I got to know her through Battle of the Blades, and she was so helpful and patient – I dont know if Id have been able to half the things on that show if it werent for her. She reached out to me and asked if Id be interested in helping out. Im an honourary chair with Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, and this was another chance to give back and stay involved with the athletic community, so it was an easy decision. Weve got a really good team in place, and there are many events to come.Who were your sports heroes growing up?As a kid, you always look up to your parents. My mom played baseball. She was a rover, and she had a hot glove. And my dad played hockey at the collegiate level and junior level in Sudbury. My dad coached a college team, the Cambrian College Golden Shields, and I lived at the rink, watching them play. So my dads hockey players were my first true hockey idols. They were a big, tough team, and it helped shape my game. I wasnt the biggest, but I played mean.When womens hockey emerged with the Womens World Championship in 1990, there was one player who I played a lot like, and that was Geraldine Heaney. She came to Sudbury one year to my dads hockey school, so I actually got to play with my idol at the age of 12. She snapped a picture with me wearing her silver medal from Nagano, and I knew immediately that the Olympics was something I was prepared to do anything for. Whats your favourite sports team?I went to college at Ohio State University, so Im a Buckeye. I bleed scarlet and grey through and through. Aaron Ward tries to make fun of me about it, but his Michigan Wolverines have a hard time standing up to the Buckeyes. Ohio State-Michigan football games are the best: I remember one game at the end of the year we beat them 52-49, and I rushed the field with everyone and ripped out part of the 50-yard line. We planted it in our front yard at the house I lived in.Youre currently hosting TSNs French Open Primetime broadcasts, who are some players youre looking forward to covering at the tournament?Well, I think Roger Federer owns the title of most talented, but Novak Djokovic is the most entertaining tennis player out there. I always like watching him because he brings lightheartedness to the game. He pushes the envelope of traditional tennis etiquette. And of course the young Canadian players: Eugenie Bouchard is so young and so talented, and Milos Raonic is just waiting for his breakthrough moment. This is the first tennis tournament Ive covered, and if he does well, obviously I must have had something to do with it, right? Maybe that will be my claim to fame.Tessa Bonhomme hosts French Open Primetime, airing every evening of the tournament on TSN. Visit TSN.ca for full schedule info. ' ' '