Athen » 72nd minute with the dismissal of Pardew, who faces

FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS: 1. STAN VAN GUNDY (Pistons): A terrific move by this dysfunctional franchise to select a guy as both president and head coach to lead them down the right path. I have no doubt that hell get them back on track. Everyone will be on the same page and there wont be any nonsense. Hes a straight shooter with outstanding basketball coaching and teaching abilities, who also communicates and connects with players. If you can find a guy that you truly believe in as your leader, then I have no hesitation whatsoever in allowing him to run the show and put together a team with his vision. Its his win-loss record and career on the line. Hes paid his dues at every level and is more than capable of doing this. The days of the revolving door of coaches in Detroit will come to an end and theyll have stability of leadership with the defining voice leading the way. Get on board or get moving on. If I owned a team, this would have been the move Id make as well. 2. STEVE KERR (Warriors): I agree with his decision to turn down the New York Knicks and go with the organization with the better short and long term futures. He got the contractual stability he was looking for and it will be vital for him to make sure he selects a terrific staff with some veteran coaching experience to help him through it. Look at his mentor Phil Jackson in his early days with the Chicago Bulls having veteran coaches like Tex Winter and Johnny Bach with him and Pat Riley in Los Angeles having Bill Bertka on his staff. Kerr would be wise to surround himself with folks that will tell him what he NEEDS to hear and not what he WANTS to hear. Thats a sign of smart leadership. There will be some things to learn and make sure you have folks that can help you grow and not guys who were your buddies when you played hanging out. 3. DONALD STERLING (Clippers): Enough already! This clown just wears me out. He loves his team? I have no doubt the residual effects of all the drama the past few weeks had a wearing effect on his team in the playoffs. Hes going to sue the NBA and not pay the $ 2.5 million fine to the league? Okay. You do that and good luck getting your TV money from the league next year and/or any other funds from the league. Thats what Id do - Major league hardball now because the gloves are off. This promises to be quite the legal battle, which is typical from a guy who loves to sue at the drop of the hat and try to work people over. This thing is going to drag on and I hope the players realize that the league is trying its best to oust this person, but its going to be a hard and potentially slow battle, which could spill into next season. What a circus! Not a pretty picture at all. I learned a long time ago that "a man can achieve great wealth, stature and position in society yet fail as a man." Example 1A of that right here. 4. WEST FINALS (THUNDER VS SPURS): Spurs in Seven. It should be a fascinating series with two wonderful teams that are playing at a high level right now. Im probably picking more with my heart right now than my head, but I still believe that the best team always finds a way to win. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are sensational players and are a really tough cover for the Spurs, but I think theyll find a way. 5. EAST FINALS (HEAT VS. PACERS): Heat in Six. In spite of the Pacers finding a way to get past the Wizards, the "eye test" tells me that the Heat, even though theyre not as good as theyve been the past few years, have just enough to get by the Pacers. They guard, shoot the 3 and have the best player in the world in LeBron. The Pacers are playing better defensively and have enough big time players in Paul George and David West (love that guy) who wont back down, but the erratic play of the Pacers second unit and inconsistent offensive play dont convince me. Heat like being the two seed here and having some adversity to play through - that will be a positive jolt for them to rise to the challenge. Mats Sundin Jersey .com) - Semyon Varlamov more than earned his third shutout of the season as he made a career-high 54 saves to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. Mike Palmateer Jersey . The 20-year-old overager has appeared in 35 games for the Ontario Hockey Leagues Erie Otters this season, scoring 41 goals and adding 27 assists with a plus-28 rating. http://www.mapleleafsteamstoreonline.com/authentic-felix-potvin-maple-leafs-jersey/ . Ramirez is still hitting behind Puig, only now they are in the third and fourth spots, and the change is starting to generate positive results for manager Don Mattingly. Darcy Tucker Maple Leafs Jersey .com) - Tony Parker scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a comfortable 99-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Wendel Clark Maple Leafs Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. LONDON -- Andre Schuerrles hat trick sent Chelsea four points clear at the top of the English Premier League with a 3-1 victory at Fulham, capitalizing on Arsenal losing at Stoke on Saturday. Chelsea took until the second half to trouble the leagues bottom team, but Schuerrle then ripped through the defence with ease at Craven Cottage to keep Jose Mourinhos side on track for the title. Having not won on seven previous visits to Stoke, Arsenal came unstuck again as Jonathan Walters clinched a 1-0 victory from the penalty spot. Liverpool moved ahead of Arsenal on goal difference into second by winning 3-0 at Southampton in the late game. Manchester City dropped to fourth but it was only six points from the top with two games in hand, and could collect its first piece of silverware of the season against Sunderland in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. In the days biggest controversy, Football Association officials will be investigating Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, who was sent off for appearing to head-butt Hull midfielder David Meyler. The touchline altercation overshadowed Newcastles 4-1 victory at Hull. Everton recovered from back-to-back league losses by beating West Ham 1-0 and returning to sixth place. After Chelsea made the short trip to Fulham, Mourinho was so annoyed at a poor first-half display that he wouldnt speak to his players during the break. The silent treatment was motivation enough, and the team was transformed, with the opener coming seven minutes into the new half. From inside his own half, Eden Hazard picked out Schuerrle, who headed the ball past Dan Burn, ran forward and slotted into the nett.dddddddddddd Schuerrle was on the end again when Hazard slipped the ball through in the 65th and the Germany midfielder scored. Torres was the creator for the third, with Schuerrle scoring again with ease in the 68th. Fulham came alive again in the closing stages, but all the team could produce was Johnny Heitinga tapping into an open net. At St. James Park, Newcastle wrapped up the victory before halftime with two goals from Moussa Sissoko and another from Loic Remy. But the real drama unfolded in the 72nd minute with the dismissal of Pardew, who faces a touchline ban. The apparent head-butt happened after Meyler barged into Pardew as he looked to retrieve the ball for a throw-in at KC Stadium. "He was right on top of me and I wanted to just ease him away from me but obviously I put my head in a forward motion," Pardew said. "I want to apologize." On the south coast, a fourth straight league win maintained Liverpools unexpected title push. Strikes from Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, and a late penalty by Steven Gerrard pushed Liverpool above Arsenal into second. The Britannia Stadium proved unwelcome territory for another leading team, as Stoke followed up wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, and a draw against City, by seeing off Arsenal. The breakthrough came with around 15 minutes to go when Laurent Koscielny was penalized for a handball and Walters scored from the spot to clinch Stokes second win in 11 league games. "It is not slightly worrying -- it is a big worry for us to lose a game like that," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It is a massive setback." ' ' '