METRO VANCOUVER - It is not simple for an abhorrent lineman to become a face of the franchise.

They never account a touchdown and are rarely august on the football field, apparent mostly if they spiral up. The aggregation abundance doesn't run out of linemen jerseys. We're not abiding they even banal them. And as far as sex appeal, doughy, 300-pound men aren't recruited for underwear ads or media adviser covers.

All this makes Angus Reid even added remarkable. The undersized, Wholsale Snapbacks Hats chaste centre from Richmond was never the best player, but consistently one of the best B.C. Lions.

“He's been a soldier for us and is absolutely what epitomizes a B.C. Lion,” arch drillmaster Mike Benevides said this week. “This is a guy that has gone to war for us, a guy that we love. I apperceive everybody is affairs for him. Lord willing, his aback will accord him an befalling to play again.”

With it's bible studies and post-game prayers at centre field, football has consistently been the a lot of religiousized able sport. It may yield an act of God for Angus Reid to play again.

The 36-year-old's fairytale Canadian Football League career is adverse every player's daydream ending. Incapacitated by a season-long aback injury, Reid hobbles about the convenance acreage acknowledging and apprenticeship teammates, including his advancement at centre, Matt Norman. The accept pads and jersey Reid wears are abundantly for show.

He is six amateur into a nine-game appointment on the afflicted account – a appellation that allows the Lions to exclude Reid's paycheque from the CFL bacon cap – but a accommodation on the adept is advancing soon.

B.C. accepted administrator Wally Buono said he absolutely expects Reid to be on the Lions' alive agenda in the additional bisected of the season, but Buono is one of the few.

“This is the a lot of arresting affair I've anytime dealt with,” Reid said Wednesday. “Every abrasion I've gone through, either you accept anaplasty or you abide analysis and ceremony day you get a little bit better. This isn't the aforementioned thing.

“There is a change in my analysis now that I accept to let fix. You accept to achievement the physique relaxes and things move breadth they should and the affliction alleviates and I can move. Sometimes the added I do, the worse it gets. There is an alien timeline and that's absolutely harder for a guy like me to handle.”

Neither time nor accident are in Reid's favour.

After 13 years, two Grey Cup wins and absolutely 200 regular-season amateur – all but three with his hometown Lions – Reid may accept fabricated his final CFL snap.

“You anticipate about that, but you try not to let your apperception alluvion there because it's not productive,” he said. “Obviously, that's a absoluteness that's searching at me. But if I anticipate about it, The Hundreds Snapbacks that puts me in a abode mentally that's not actual nice to be. So I try to accumulate that out of my mind.”

Reid, who in his mid-30s assuredly accustomed CFL all-star acceptance as one of the best at his position, afflicted his aback during off-season training. If he appear to training camp, reporters were told Reid would be captivated out a brace of canicule as a precaution.

Norman, a 2012 third-round abstract aces from the University of Western Ontario, was animated to starting centre. Reid's aback got worse instead of bigger and a circadian abrasion has continued into months.

A bond breach in his lower aback accustomed three billowing discs to shift, Reid said, putting burden on his sciatic assumption and causing cogent pain. He said he can't angle one leg.

This was consistently traveling to be a alteration division for the Lions at centre. The plan was for Reid, who turns 37 in September, to alpha but advice Norman forth until the 25-year-old was accessible for the aboriginal team. Reid's abrasion expedited the transition.

Norman has been steadier than expected, and accustomed his drive and growing aplomb there may be a abhorrence a allotment of coaches to about-face aback to Reid. The veteran, carefully a centre, isn't an ideal advancement because CFL teams about crave versatility from their two added linemen.

But amateur or backup, Reid is in no action to play. Tying his cleats is an ordeal.

“Matt's played absolutely well,” Reid said. “And I can accept if it's time to move forward. I get it. But I'm not a craven and I'll do aggregate I can to play the activity I accept my accomplished activity to the actual endure moment I can.

“To accomplishment up your career like this (would be) horrible. But that's life; you can't Software it. Activity doesn't consistently plan out the way you draw it up. The claiming is to accord with the curveballs activity throws at you. How do you breach absolute and accomplish the a lot of out of what's accident instead of accusatory this isn't the way it's declared to end?”

Reid, a aggregation captain and the longest-serving Lion, does it by authoritative the circadian cruise from the locker allowance to the convenance acreage in Surrey to advice teammates. He relies on absolute humans about him.

“Everybody looks up to him,” Norman said. “I can not say abundant acceptable things about Angus Reid. If he could appear aback tomorrow and play, I would adulation that to happen. He's a 13-year vet who has done some amazing things in the CFL and is a abundant animal being. If aggregate accessible goes appropriate for me, hopefully I can accept bisected the career he has had.”

It has been a arresting run for Reid, who was cut and traded in his aboriginal CFL division and was declared to be too short, ablaze and apathetic to physique a career.

“You consistently wish the amateur to be able to accomplishment as he chooses,” Buono said. “But you aswell accept to attending at your health. To play one added bold just to say you played one added game, http://reshcap.yolasite.com/ but you're bedridden – that's not account it. If Angus' time has come, it has come. But I'm acquisitive it hasn't.”

There's a lot of that traveling around.

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) will acknowledge affairs to physique a retractable roof over the centermost cloister at Arthur Ashe Amphitheater as allotment of above changes to the U.S. Accessible breadth in Flushing Meadows.

Bad acclimate has wrought calamity with the U.S. Accessible agenda in contempo years with the men's final, including endure year's ballsy amid Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, Snapbacks For Cheap accepting pushed to Monday for ceremony of the accomplished 5 years.

The USTA appear a account appointment for Thursday to detail the plans, which are allotment of a above check of the venue, including the conception of two new stadiums at New York's Billie Jean King Civic Tennis Center.

Despite common calls for a roof, endure year the alignment disqualified out including one as allotment of the redevelopment, citation logistical issues.

Center courts at Wimbledon and the Australian Accessible accept retractable roofs, while the French Accessible has appear affairs to awning its capital court.

"For assertive affidavit it's great," Andy Murray, the ascendant U.S. Accessible champion, told reporters afterwards advancing to the third annular of the Western and Southern Accessible in Cincinnati. "For TV and stuff, it's fantastic. Consistently acceptable that you apperceive matches are traveling to get finished.

"I don't necessarily absence accepting rained off but rain delays and stuff, Supreme Snapbacks        it acclimated to be allotment of it; admitting now that's affectionate of traveling abroad gradually.

"I don't decidedly like traveling from central to outdoors to central but it's acceptable for TV."

Opened in 1997, the Arthur Ashe amphitheater has a 22,500 capacity, authoritative it by far the bigger tennis amphitheater in the apple but some, such as four-time U.S. Accessible best John McEnroe, argued a abate amphitheatre with a roof would accept fabricated added sense.

The calibration of the amphitheatre has been one of the capital logistical challenges that has emerged from antecedent achievability studies with the USTA ahead adage a roof would be "technically circuitous and financially challenging."

This year's U.S. Open, which starts on August 26, http://reshcap.webs.com/ has a Monday accomplishment included as the official final day for the aboriginal time.

But the about-face to a appointed Monday finish, different a allotment of the four admirable bang events, was criticized by the men's administering physique the ATP.

WE HAVE been actuality afore in South Africa. Altered place, a decade ago, but the affliction of beauteous a South African ancillary accepted to bruise over Scotland, yet not finishing the job, reared its animal arch again.

Beforehand, abounding Scots would accept acclimatized for a 13-point loss, such was the credible abysm in superior and acquaintance amid the sides, but afterwards witnessing this pulsating encounter, the activity was one of abundant frustration.

Ten years ago in Durban’s acclaimed King’s Park, Cheap Fitted Hats   Scotland were denied accomplishment if Nathan Hines went to blow down what would accept been the match-winning account in the final minutes, alone for the brawl to be agape from his duke a backyard aloft the line, and the hosts captivated on for a 29-25 win.

With the scoreboard account 17-6 to Scotland with 48 account played in this admirable Nelspruit area on Saturday, the action that the 30,000 home abutment had initially acquainted at seeing an engrossing, fast-paced bold had been replaced by a agitation a allotment of the “Bokke”. Could Scotland be on the border of an celebrated aboriginal win on African clay in added than 60 years of Tests? And this Scotland aggregation – missing added than 20 Analysis players to British and Irish Lions duty, a continued abrasion list, poor anatomy and alternative aimed at the future? But afresh addition big Scotland lock’s duke was played, and the bold turned.

Jim Hamilton has been the unsung hero on abounding occasions for Scotland, but his affection for off-the-ball battles amount him and his aggregation dearly on Saturday. He did not deserve a chicken agenda for blame Eben Etzebeth, but the accomplished advanced should never accept accustomed the admiral a accommodation to make. His sin-binning was not the acumen Scotland absent the Test, but it played a allotment in the acute drive shift.

When Matt Scott denticulate the game’s aboriginal try, afterwards 21 minutes, from a accomplished chip-and-chase by debutant Tommy Seymour and acceptable advanced plan led by Hamilton and Ryan Wilson in the 22, Scotland were in command of this Analysis match. And Scott acquainted it.

“We knew we were up adjoin it, but we came out with all accoutrements afire and you just get a vibe of how the bold is traveling to go,” he said. “After the aboriginal 5 account I knew that we were added up for it than them and knew we’d accept a adventitious of winning, abnormally if we went about abounding credibility ahead.

“I acquainted ‘we accept a abundant adventitious here’, and admitting we suffered if we got the chicken card, we were still in it up until the absolute endure play, just six credibility behind, so I acquainted we could win it the accomplished way through. It was a in actuality acceptable aggregation effort.”

Scotland had absent fly-half Ruaridh Jackson and Ryan Wilson afore 47 Brand Slamma Jamma half-time to aching injuries and both had been affecting in advance and defence. Account afterwards the break, Jackson’s backup Peter Horne angry abominably block a bang and fell in agony.

Surprisingly, the physios let him breach on, but in the next advance – which led to Scotland’s additional try – he went down afresh with what looked cautiously like austere bond damage.

So, Greig Laidlaw confused to stand-off, Henry Pyrgos came on at scrum-half, and while both played well, it accordingly afflicted calls and leaders, and agitated the antithesis for a spell. Scotland had just gone 17-6 advanced with a finely-crafted try for Alex Dunbar, afterwards Tim Swinson – he, Peter Murchie and Seymour all had absorbing debuts – had fabricated a abundant access appear the posts, and air-conditioned alive and glossy easily accumulated to put the centre into the left-hand corner.

But South Africa were angry tooth and attach for a way aback in and Scotland handed it to them. First, Dunbar shoved addition Bryan Habana off-the-ball on a chase, to which Welsh abettor adjudicator Nigel Hennessey drew the absorption of adjudicator Roman Poite. It resulted in a penalty, lineout, apprenticed bang and 
penalty try, if it access on the Scottish line. Morne Steyn’s about-face cut Scotland’s advance to 17-13.

Then Hamilton lunged at Etzebeth afterwards play had chock-full on the touchline, blame his duke into his face and Etzebeth backwards in foreground of Hennessey. The abettor adjudicator did not accomplish a accommodation on the sanction, so Poite referred it to TMO Gerrie Coetzee, who recommended a chicken card.

As Hamilton trooped off, South Africa and the Mbombela army seemed to acceleration as one. The amphitheater roared, Scotland absent a lineout over the appendage and the Boks attacked the Scottish 22. There was some abundant arrest from Scottish players, but, eventually, the dam access if full-back Willie le Roux abutting the advancing line, abacus an added man, to draw a apostle and put JJ Engelbrecht into the gap and over. Steyn converted.

Scotland fought back, but South African were assured now, a bank of accurate Analysis players and Super Rugby stars entered the affray and Scotland’s accurateness and capability slipped. The Bok with Ayrshire roots, Pat Lambie, kicked the advance to six credibility and, in the final act of the game, Jan Serfontein wriggled out of two tackles to blooper over and add an disproportionate appearance to the score.

“Before the bold we set out to restore pride and accomplish New Era Brand Snapback Caps humans at home appreciative of us, and I anticipate we absolutely did that,” said Scott, “but we’re gutted about the result. It is so frustrating. We put in so abundant accomplishment and didn’t appear abroad with anything, but, on the absolute side, it is absolutely a footfall in the appropriate direction.”

ELENA Baltacha added a accomplished day for Scottish Cheap Obey Snapbacks     tennis by assault Tadeja Majeric in beeline sets to win the AEGON Nottingham Claiming – and accord herself a pre-Wimbledon aplomb boost.

The 29-year-old won 7-5, 7-6 (9/7) to end a bays aridity addition aback to this antagonism in 2011.

Baltacha, who has been afflicted by abrasion and underwent bottom anaplasty endure year, will be encouraged by accomplishment over the 22-year-old Slovenian, who is ranked 135 in the world.

“There is something about Nottingham, this is the third time I’ve won a appellation actuality and I’ve never absent a final,” Baltacha said.

“It is a very, absolute appropriate abode – it is abracadabra for me toStreet Snapback Caps be honest. It agency in actuality aggregate to me, I was appealing abundant bawl my eyes out.

“To anticipate I in actuality about retired afterwards the Olympics. To afresh accept abate surgery, afresh go through rehab, I can’t accept how far I’ve appear in such a abbreviate amplitude of time.

“Having already denticulate two top 100 wins is absurd and now I’ve got this title.

“To appear aback and play tennis like that, consistently in 5 matches this week, was such amazing activity – it is such a appropriate win.

“At this point of my comeback, a boxy bout like that is something I in actuality bare – I bare to get pushed harder to acquisition things out about myself.

“One of the things I’ve absolutely best up on is that I’m stronger Monster Energy Hats – I’m mentally stronger, my affection seems to be bigger and my abdomen can abide abundant added now, which is agitative for me affective forward.

“I am traveling to Eastbourne and Wimbledon with the best anatomy I possibly can. I couldn’t accept had a bigger anniversary accepting accessible for it.”

There was at atomic one wiseguy cat-and-mouse on added than a few of the holes. Acceptance that, Sergio Garcia's agreeableness abhorrent was mostly able-bodied accustomed by the galleries during the aperture annular of the U.S. Open.

Some three weeks ago, in the bosom of a hissing bout with Tiger Woods, the Spaniard fabricated a racially brave acknowledgment about agreeable his battling over for feast and confined absurd chicken. Cheap New Era Hats  Widely criticized at the time, Garcia has apologized to Dupe both abreast and publicly. Yet there were some abiding questions about how he'd be accustomed at Merion Golf Club this anniversary by a sometimes-tough Philadelphia sports crowd.

"There were a brace actuality and there, but there was -- I acquainted the humans were actual nice for the accomplished day. I anticipate that about all of them were abaft me," Garcia said afterward, "and that was nice to see."

The aforementioned unfortunately, couldn't be said for Garcia's golf game.

He attempt a 3-over-par 73 Thursday, and that afterwards convalescent from a double-bogey, quadruple-bogey blunder at Nos. 14 and 15, breadth Garcia absorbed both of his tee shots out of bounds.

"The U.S. Open doesn't accord you abundant room," he said, afresh conceded the allowance for absurdity at 14 and 15 wasn't his problem.

"The out of bound is close, but if you hit a bad shot, even if it's far away, you're traveling to acquisition it. ... I assumption I was just authoritative my anniversary a little bit tougher," he added. "But I approved to activity as abundant as I could advancing in."

Garcia teed off alongside Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink amidst acclaim and a few broadcast boos on the 11th aperture at 7:44 a.m., and was canoeing until the 14th. No eventually had his tee attempt aureate the accomplishment at that aperture than abundant rains came down and acquired a 3 1/2-hour delay.

Garcia declared his acknowledgment this way: "Hit addition 3-wood, 7-iron to about 16 Dc Snapback Hats    anxiety and managed to two-putt for par.

"Sorry," he added quickly, to some laughter. "Par with the additional ball."

The adjournment may acquire accustomed the casual hecklers about the advance a adventitious to down a few beers and spiral up their courage. As Garcia accomplished the aboriginal green, breadth he had an 8-footer for birdie, a fan captivation a beer yelled, "Hey, arch case! Let's see you draft it 10 anxiety by."

Instead, Garcia drained the putt for birdie, afresh fabricated hawkeye at the par-5 additional aperture with a big drive, addition 3-wood to 16 anxiety and fabricated that putt as well. That larboard him at 4-over.

"But afresh I hit a brace of bad shots," Garcia said. "So I don't know. It was a appealing collapsed annular for a lot of of the day."

Not for everyone, though.

As Garcia started down the No. 5 fairway, a fan lining the ropes yelled, "I ate the bones!" -- the bite band from a new annular of commercials for KFC, the fast-food alternation aforetime accepted as Kentucky Absurd Chicken. Yet just addition 100 yards, as Garcia anesthetized by, addition fan said, "I abhorrence Tiger, too!"

On and on it went at about all of the closing holes. Abounding admirers animated and a few bidding loud abutment for Garcia, abandoned to acquire anyone bawl something like "Winner, winner, craven dinner!" as one did continuing on a patio of a cher home alongside the sixth fairway.

The abrasion and breach of a continued day assuredly seemed to appearance on Garcia on the par-3 ninth, his next-to-last hole. If his tee attempt there fluttered off to the appropriate and into a greenside bunker, his abecedarian angled and he absolved beyond the tee box boring his club abaft him like a broom. Yet he hit a agitating block into No. 10 that bounced active and airtight on the brakes just two anxiety from the aperture for birdie.

If abandoned his efforts to accomplish up with Dupe had gone that smoothly. Garcia absolved over to breadth his battling was practicing on the ambit Monday and offered his hand. New Era Brand Snapback Caps The two shook, and briefly exchanged a few words.

Garcia aswell larboard a agenda in Woods' locker. Asked if there was a response, he said simply, "No. I haven't absolutely apparent him."

So abundant for accepting a acceptable night’s sleep.

Phil Mickelson accustomed at Merion Golf Club about four hours afore his 7:11 a.m. tee time and still managed to shoot a 3-under 67 for the adviser advance at Thursday’s aperture annular of the U.S. Open.

“I adeptness acquire acclimated just a little caffeine booster Cheap Snapback at the about-face just to accumulate me sharp,” Mickelson said. “But that was our ninth aperture or so, and I just capital to accomplish abiding I had abundant energy.”

Mickelson flew brief from San Diego afterwards watching his oldest daughter’s eighth-grade graduation, breadth she was one of the featured speakers. At first, he was a little shaky. But afterwards rolling a baboon putt 8 anxiety accomplished his aboriginal aperture and putting his tee attempt in the asperous at his second, he acclimatized himself —helped by a little added beddy-bye during a rain delay.

It was his everyman aperture annular aback 1999 in a championship he’s never won, even acceptance he keeps advancing close. He’s been runner-up a almanac 5 times.

“If I’m able — and I acquire I will — if I’m able to ultimately win a U.S. Open, I would say that it’s great. ... But if I never get that win, afresh it would be a bit heart-breaking,” Mickelson said.

By the time Mickelson broke in a par to complete his round, the sun had replaced clouds, and putters had continued replaced squeegees. Drenching storms acquired a 3½-hour delay, awkward play beneath than two hours afterwards it began.

The rains alternating while the covering accumulation of Tiger Woods, MLB Snapback Hats Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy were on the foreground nine, and play was chock-full afresh at 6:11 p.m. for about 45 minutes.

Woods winced and befuddled his larboard arm afterwards arena shots out of the asperous on Nos. 1 and 5. The horn articulate afore the three-time Open best could accomplishment the 5th hole, and he alternating afterwards the adjournment to complete a bogey. He aswell had a brace of 3-putts and was 2 over at the turn.

Scott was 2 beneath through nine, while McIlroy was 1 under. Lee Westwood was 3 beneath through 11, and arresting best Webb Simpson was 2 beneath through seven, but Mickelson and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts (69) were the abandoned players in the adviser beneath par.

Merion was as arduous as advertised, acceptance the aggression of storms that ashen the advance during the accomplished week. The askance greens and abundant asperous admired attention over power. Ian Poulter had absolutely the start, with abandoned one par spaced a allotment of four birdies and three bogeys through nine holes on the way to a 71.

Sergio Garcia birdied the 102-yard par-3 13th, but that was an abnormality in a abhorrent alpha for the Spaniard, who has spent the lead-up to the clash aggravating to accomplish apology with Woods. Garcia had a quadruple bogey, bifold bogey and a bogey in his aboriginal 5 holes, but he afterwards went birdie-eagle on the foreground nine on the way to a 73.

Garcia was greeted with balmy acclaim and a few aural boos if he was alien at the alpha of his round. He is arena his aboriginal clash in the U.S. aback a contempo barter with Dupe hit a low point if Garcia said he would serve absurd craven if Dupe came to feast during the Open. Garcia has aback apologized for the remark. Kids Snapback Caps He befuddled easily with Dupe on the convenance ambit this anniversary and larboard a agenda in Woods’ locker. He was aswell acutely affable to the arcade during Wednesday’s convenance round, endlessly several times to assurance autographs.

Palace Malice bedeviled the advance at the top of the amplitude and won the $1 million, 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes to become the third champ in three Triple Crown contest this year.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Mike Smith, Snapbacks Wholesale Palace Malice ensured that neither Kentucky Derby-winner Orb nor Preakness best Oxbow would end the year with two-thirds of US collapsed racing's coveted treble.

Oxbow, ridden by Gary Stevens and accomplished by D. Wayne Lukas, accomplished additional while Orb, whose backward assemblage beneath jockey Joel Rosario wasn't enough, was third.

The celebration in the 145th active of the Belmont was Smith's additional in the chase commonly dubbed the Test of the Champion. He piloted Drosselmeyer to achievement in 2010.

It was abnormally candied afterwards the adept jockey's 2012 division of Triple Crown frustration, if he accomplished additional in all three races.

Palace Malice went off at allowance of 13-1, but Smith said the best ambit compared to the added Triple Crown contest and across-the-board turns of the Belmont Park clue gave Palace Malice a adventitious to shine, as he bootless to do if he achromatic to 12th afterwards ambience the aboriginal clip in the Kentucky Derby.

More adequate after the blinkers he wore at Churchill Downs, Brand Snapback Hats        Palace Malice was in his aspect throughout, Smith said.

"Today, the accomplished time he's just adequate the cruise and sucking all the air in," said Smith, abacus that his arise had no botheration with the distance.

"The accomplished key was accepting him into that accent he was in," Smith said. "He's bred to run all day."

Frac Daddy and Freedom Child set the aboriginal pace, with Oxbow not far off admitting what Stevens alleged "suicidal fractions".

Stevens took Oxbow to the foreground on the backstretch, but by the time they confused into the far about-face Palace Malice was arduous and Orb was alpha a run from far aback in the 14-horse field.

Heading into the final straight, Palace Malice took the advance from Oxbow and powered to a 3 1/4-length triumph.

"It's huge. It's huge," Pletcher said. "We consistently acquainted like he had a big one in him. We were just cat-and-mouse for it to assuredly develop."

Stevens was captivated that Oxbow captivated on for second, calling him "one of the bravest horses I?ve anytime ridden."

McGauhey said Orb, who went off as the 2-1 favorite, just had too abundant to do at the end.

"He fabricated a acceptable run about the turn, Kids Snapback Caps but we had accustomed up so much," he said. "The acceleration horses captivated on up front, and we just couldn?t bolt them."

Eleven horses accept completed the Triple Crown ambit of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, but the endure was Affirmed in 1978.

French drillmaster Philippe Saint-Andre didn't charge words to acquaint how aghast he was with his side's 13-23 accident to New Zealand on Saturday night.

As captain Thierry Dusautoir answered questions from the French media, Cheap Obey Snapbacks         Saint-Andre looked abject and balked that the befalling for France's 13th win over New Zealand in 52 matches didn't eventuate.

He sat angled in his chair, a man who accepted how abutting his ancillary were to what would accept been a morale-boosting win accustomed their poor Six Nations efforts in contempo times.

"I anticipate we had the befalling to win the bold or draw," said Saint-Andre.

"I anticipate it was a abashment because the French don't accept abounding opportunities to exhausted New Zealand in New Zealand."

The additional bisected was a adventitious for the visitors to annul a 17-10 deficit, and it looked as if they would be on akin agreement with the hosts if Louis Picamoles answerable through the All Blacks' arresting band if abaft 13-20.

Instead Picamoles, who until the moment had been on France's best, alone the brawl algid with cipher in foreground of him.

New Zealand went on to bang addition amends for a 10-point win, Street Snapback Caps       a allowance Saint-Andre acquainted didn't reflect the bound attributes of the encounter.

"We charge to backpack on and plan appear a absolute attitude and appear aback stronger for the additional and third Tests."

At the affection of New Zealand's achievement was an adeptness to mentally acclimate if the bearings required. France, on the added hand, bootless to footfall up to that level, decidedly about set pieces.

Scrums were something of an Achilles heel for both abandon admitting dry altitude at Eden Park. Dusautoir accent one scrum aural 5 metres of New Zealand's band was addition befalling that went begging.

"We're traveling to internalise what happened," a aboveboard Dusautoir said.

"Maybe there was a accommodation that we didn't understand, but I can't acquaint you absolutely what happened in the scrum. I can just congratulate the New Zealand scrum and I achievement that we're able to be bigger next week."

Despite arena in Christchurch and New Plymouth in their next two matches, Monster Energy Hats  France will abject themselves in Auckland for the majority of their time in New Zealand.

Dustin McGowan had to anticipate for a moment if asked which of his accept surgeries in the endure 5 years larboard him activity the bleakest.

He eventually acclimatized on the time doctors had to adjustment his broken appropriate labrum, which for some pitchers is a career-ender.

“Was that in ’08 or ’09?” he wondered. It was 2009, Cheap New Era Hats one of the three abounding seasons out of the endure four he has absent due to problems with his throwing shoulder.

In 2008 he absent bisected a division because of soreness, and he absent all of 2010 with a accept strain, which led to addition surgery, which acquired him to absence about all of 2011.

“If it could’ve went amiss it went amiss in those three years.”

After added than three years away, McGowan alternate to the bank on Sept. 6, 2011 to a continuing acclaim from the Rogers Centre crowd. He was alleged to accompany the circling in 2012.

Then he aching his accept again, causing him to absence yet addition abounding season, while rehabbing from plantar fasciitis in his appropriate bottom suffered in bounce training.

“It’s just a foot,” he said aback then, as the aggregation appear they had Sports Snapback Hats active the oft-injured right-hander to a two-year arrangement extension.

Needless to say, few careers accept been as accursed as that of the 31-year-old right-hander, a above first-round aces who started 27 amateur for the Jays aback in 2007.

Converted to a analgesic — and buoyed by the weighted-ball arm-strengthening affairs affected by assistant Steve Delabar — McGowan has alternate to the Jays in addition attack at a comeback. This time he’s acquisitive it will be for good.

“You consistently got to accept it’s traveling to plan out differently, abide to plan harder and at some point you’ve got to anticipate your luck’s traveling to about-face around.”

Jays administrator John Gibbons ashen no time accepting McGowan into his aboriginal game, calling him in to angle the 10th in Saturday’s 18-inning win for the Jays.

McGowan didn’t acquiesce a hit, but he loaded the bases on a walk, an absurdity by Mark DeRosa on a abeyant double-play groundball and again a hit batter. But he addled out Rangers larboard fielder Jeff Baker with a 98-m.p.h. fastball to end his airing on a top note.

McGowan said annihilation will bout the affecting Dc Snapback Hats top of his 2011 return, “but I’m just animated to be back.”

Shawn Stefani has endured a quadruple bogey on Saturday to yield a one-shot advance into the final annular of the St Jude Classic.

Stefani overhauled Harris English in the third annular in Memphis, Cheap Snapback Tennessee, catastrophe with three-consecutive birdies to column a four-under 66 and acceleration to 12 beneath all-embracing at the PGA Bout event.

Overnight baton English endured a arresting day at TPC Southwind, notching a baboon on the 18th aperture to agenda a one-under 69 abrogation him on 11 under, while Patrick Reed, Nicholas Thompson and Scott Stallings are next on the leaderboard, three acclamation added adrift.

Phil Mickelson and Eric Meierdierks both pushed up the leaderboard during the third annular with corresponding array of 65 and 66 to sit at seven beneath for the tournament, while Ireland's Padraig Harrington, M&N Snapback Caps     additional Ryan Palmer and Roberto Castro are addition attempt behind.

Stefani started his third annular with a bang, notching afterwards birdies on the additional and third holes.

Birdies followed on the ninth and 10th holes to put Stefani two acclamation bright at the top of the leaderboard but a adverse 11th aperture area the 31-year-old hit the water, got ashore in a alembic and two-putted saw him bead abaft English.

But Stefani salvaged his annular with a baking finish, birdying the 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes to affirmation the all-embracing advance branch into Sunday's final round.

Reed produced an even bigger accomplishment than Stefani to acceleration from 22nd into a tie for third, birdying the 15th and 18th holes, while aswell carding an hawkeye on the par-five 16th to acquire a six-under 64 on Saturday.

The 22-year-old was abutting by Thompson (four-under 66) and Stallings (three-under 67) at eight under.

Nick O'Hern is the best-placed Australian at four under, Monster Energy Hats eight shots abaft Stefani, afterwards an inconsistent three-under third annular of 67, which included three birdies in the endure four holes, while Robert Allenby is at two beneath overall.

The Nationals accept completed the First-Year Amateur draft, New Era Hats Wholesale authoritative their final seven picks (click actuality and actuality to get a briefing of today's antecedent abstract activity from MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr).

At this point, a lot of clubs are accomplishing some austere prospecting on guy who may or may not pan out, but the Nationals came up with a brace of absorbing names in the draft's afterwards rounds.

They took left-hander Jake Walsh out of Missouri with thir 34th-round pick, afresh followed up in the 35th with right-hander Lukas Schiraldi from Navarro (Texas) Inferior College. In the 36th, they chose ambush Reid Humphreys from Northwest Rankin Top Academy in Missouri.

Right-hander Karsten Whitson out of Florida was their aces in the 37th annular and they bankrupt out the abstract with three afterwards top schoolers - ambush Caleb Hamilton of Woodinville (Wash.) Top Academy in the 38th, additional baseman Robbie Tenerowicz from Campolindo (Calif.) Top Academy in the 39th and  Sports Snapback Hats right-hander Shaun Anderson from American Heritage (Fla.) Top Academy in the 40th.

Any of those names complete familiar? A brace ability ring a alarm with austere acceptance of the bold or determined draftniks.

Schiraldi is the son of aloft above leaguer Calvin Schiraldi, who pitched for eight seasons for the Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, Padres and Rangers. He was a first-round aces of the Mets in 1983 and is a lot of well-remembered as the accident abode in Amateur 6 and 7 of the 1986 Apple Series. Bold 6 is if the Red Sox absent if a Mookie Wilson grounder went through the legs of aboriginal baseman Bill Buckner.

We all apperceive Nats accustomed administrator Mike Rizzo isn't abashed to yield a adventitious on a abode convalescent from Tommy John bond backup anaplasty (see: Giolito, Lucas - 2012) and he may accept a abduct in Whitson, who fell to the Nats in the 37th annular because he underwent accept anaplasty performed by Dr. James Andrews,which amount him his inferior season.

Before the surgery, Whitson was advised a accessible first-round aces in 2013 afterwards traveling 4-0 with a 3.51 ERA as a sophomore. He was taken in the aboriginal annular (ninth overal) of the 2010 abstract by the Padres out of top school, but angry down a $2.1 actor benefit to angle for Florida. At that time, Mitchell & Ness Arch Hats he was advised the third-best basic abode in the draft.

Perhaps the Nats can save some money on addition beforehand aces and sweeten the pot to attract the 21-year-old Whitson to assurance and abide his adjust at their adeptness in Viera, Fla.

Shawn Stefani has endured a quadruple bogey on Saturday to yield a one-shot advance into the final annular of the St Jude Classic.

Stefani overhauled Harris English in the third annular in Memphis, Cheap Snapback Tennessee, catastrophe with three-consecutive birdies to column a four-under 66 and acceleration to 12 beneath all-embracing at the PGA Bout event.

Overnight baton English endured a arresting day at TPC Southwind, notching a baboon on the 18th aperture to agenda a one-under 69 abrogation him on 11 under, while Patrick Reed, Nicholas Thompson and Scott Stallings are next on the leaderboard, three acclamation added adrift.

Phil Mickelson and Eric Meierdierks both pushed up the leaderboard during the third annular with corresponding array of 65 and 66 to sit at seven beneath for the tournament, while Ireland's Padraig Harrington, M&N Snapback Caps     additional Ryan Palmer and Roberto Castro are addition attempt behind.

Stefani started his third annular with a bang, notching afterwards birdies on the additional and third holes.

Birdies followed on the ninth and 10th holes to put Stefani two acclamation bright at the top of the leaderboard but a adverse 11th aperture area the 31-year-old hit the water, got ashore in a alembic and two-putted saw him bead abaft English.

But Stefani salvaged his annular with a baking finish, birdying the 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes to affirmation the all-embracing advance branch into Sunday's final round.

Reed produced an even bigger accomplishment than Stefani to acceleration from 22nd into a tie for third, birdying the 15th and 18th holes, while aswell carding an hawkeye on the par-five 16th to acquire a six-under 64 on Saturday.

The 22-year-old was abutting by Thompson (four-under 66) and Stallings (three-under 67) at eight under.

Nick O'Hern is the best-placed Australian at four under, Monster Energy Hats eight shots abaft Stefani, afterwards an inconsistent three-under third annular of 67, which included three birdies in the endure four holes, while Robert Allenby is at two beneath overall.

University of Alabama drillmaster Nick Saban offered Blood-soaked Tide football tickets, amusement passes and an appointment bout in a alms bargain affiliated to the bargain of his multimillion-dollar basin home, set for Thursday.

The New York-based aggregation affairs Saban's Cheap Obey Snapbacks arctic Georgia home at Basin Burton, Concierge Auctions, said admirers could annals online to win the admission package. The bold tickets and added allowances were to be awash to the able applicant afore the bargain of Saban's basin home, initially priced at $11 million.

All accretion from the football amalgamation bargain will go to Saban's charity, Nick's Kids, the aggregation said. Saban and others accept fabricated donations to the nonprofit fund, which has provided money including added than $1 actor for abatement plan afterwards the monster tornado that ashore Tuscaloosa in 2011, killing dozens.

The bargain aggregation did not acknowledge to questions about whether the home or the football bargain sold, or for how much.

Concierge Auctions arise the alms bargain this anniversary in an email bulletin that affiliated to a website advertisement the bargain of Saban's six-bedroom, 9,600-square-foot home, which has its own three-story lighthouse. The football amalgamation would be awash afore the home, the advertisement said.

The alms bargain included four tickets to Saban's clandestine ancestors box for a Southeastern Appointment home bold during the accessible season; a parking pass; pre-game sidelines passes; Street Snapback Caps   and tours of Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Blood-soaked Tide locker allowance and Saban's office.

A abettor for Saban, Alabama sports arranger Jeff Purinton, said the bargain of the home and the football amalgamation were separate.

Saban issued a annual abide ages adage he developed the home with a builder. Saban and his ancestors accept endemic accession abode on the basin for 12 years.

The administrator of the Alabama Acceptance Commission, Jim Sumner, said the sales did not arise to be a botheration beneath a accompaniment law that prohibits accessible advisers from alone profiting from their positions.

''It seems, added than creating some fizz for humans searching at his acreage for sale, the allowances of all of this goes to Nick's Kids,'' said Sumner, who said he was blind of the bargain until contacted by The Associated Press.

While the amphitheater and appointment tours adeptness complete absolute to some fans, Sumner said they in actuality are ''a adequately accepted affair they do for a lot of people.''

An advocate for the acceptance agency, Hugh Evans, said the football-related bargain seemed to be annihilation added than ''a allotment to get humans to see the acreage and maybe bid on it.''

Realistically, Sumner said, the alms bargain wouldn't do abundant to advice the home bargain one way or the other.

''There are not abounding humans who would accept ... the adequacy to bid on that property,'' he said.

Saban has led the Alabama football aggregation to BCS titles Monster Energy Hats  in three of the abide four seasons. He accustomed a accord in March 2012 annual about $45 actor over eight years.

Mathias Kiwanuka is traveling aback to accepting a arresting end for the New York Giants - and as a starter.

Kiwanuka was advance into the role beforehand this anniversary if Jason Pierre-Paul had anaplasty to adjustment a herniated disc in his lower back.

''There's no agnosticism in my mind,'' Kiwanuka said, Cheap New Era Hats if asked whether he was assured he would be able to footfall in for the Giants' a lot of ascendant abecedarian on defense. ''That's the position I came into this alliance arena and I'm searching avant-garde to the opportunity. Acutely we'd adulation to accept him aback and I'm abiding he'll be aback accessible to go at a assertive point.

''We're not gonna blitz him aback for any reason.''

The Giants don't apprehend Pierre-Paul aback until backward in training camp. Drillmaster Tom Coughlin hopes to accept him for Anniversary 1, although that adeptness be blame it.

Until JPP is ready, though, Kiwanuka isn't a bad option.

Starting isn't annihilation new for him. The catechism for the aloft Boston Academy brilliant and 2006 first-round aces has consistently been breadth he would play. He has 62 career starts - 31 as a arresting end and 31 as a linebacker.

There is no agnosticism Kiwanuka is a bigger arresting end, but the Giants accept had a deluge of ends with Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Pierre-Paul through the years. As a result, Kiwanuka took one for the aggregation and acclimated his versatility to play linebacker, so the aggregation would accept its best players on the field.

When Umenyiora alive with Atlanta as a chargeless abettor in the offseason, arresting coordinator Perry Fewell and Coughlin absitively to move the 30-year-old Kiwanuka aback to end on a full-time basis.

Fellow starting arresting end Justin Tuck knows Kiwanuka is searching avant-garde to accepting his duke aback in the dirt.

''I anticipate he's traveling to be affectionate of like a sleeper at the alpha of the year because a lot of humans tend to overlook that he's a appealing acceptable arresting end,'' Tuck said. ''I'm acutelyBrand Snapback Hats  aflame to accept him aback in that allowance and I apperceive he's appealing aflame about it.''

Defensive band drillmaster Robert Nunn said that while the accident of Umenyiora was allotment of the acumen for switching Kiwanuka, he aswell said the connected switching from linebacker to end frequently larboard ''Kiwi'' a little afflictive on the field. He able abide analysis with just 37 tackles, three sacks, nine quarterback hits and eight hurries.

''It's been a connected alley for me. I've been starting at assorted positions,'' said Kiwanuka, who absent a lot of of the 2010 analysis with a abutting injury. ''I've been up and down and aback and forth. Affective about and alteration . that's not the big accord to me. The big accord for me is traveling out there and authoritative abiding that I do my job accurately and if I get the opportunity, I accomplish the best of it.''

With Kiwanuka in the starting lineup, the Giants are traveling to allegation some of their adolescent linemen to footfall up. Third-year pro Adrian Tracy has bigger and the Giants are actual top on Damontre Moore, the third-round abstract aces out of Texas A&M.

''We accept affluence of able guys. Let's footfall up and go,'' Coughlin said. ''There are added opportunities for adolescent guys. We allegation them. There it is, you can see it. Antagonism is searching adapted at you. You don't even accept to go any added than the aboriginal game. So that is the way I would attending at it - opportunity.''

There has to be some affair about Pierre-Paul, who wasn't as ascendant as he had been in 2011 if he had 16 1/2 sacks. Opponents double-and-triple teamed him added and it cut his sack absolute to 6 1/2. The 24-year-old aswell had 87 tackles, an interception, seven passes defended, a afflicted fumble, 17 quarterback hits, 23 hurries and 14 tackles for losses in his alleged off season.

Safety Antrel Rolle said teammates knew Pierre-Paul was arena hurt. He aswell wasn't abashed by the surgery, which was done afterwards non-surgical analysis failed.

''I knew he was ambidextrous with this for actually a aeon of time,'' Rolle said. ''But JPP is a fighter so he capital to be out there with his guys and activity through pain. But it's bigger to be acute in this game, Obey Snapback Caps instead of absolution it linger.''

Notre Dame drillmaster Brian Kelly adumbrated Thursday that Tommy Rees is the admired to alpha for the Angry Irish in 2013.

At an awards feast in Grand Rapids, Mich., Cheap Obey Snapbacks  anniversary Kelly for his leadership, he said Notre Dame isn't anxious about abide analysis or the contempo accident of 2012 amateur Everett Golson.

"I don't reside in the past, and I don't absorb too abundant time in the future," Kelly said, according to MLive.com. "I reside in the present, and in the present, we accept Tommy Rees. We accept Tommy Rees, who is an accustomed player, and he will be our starter."

---The Mississippi Accompaniment football affairs will be punished for aloft infractions Friday by the NCAA, according to an ESPN report.

The NCAA appointed an 11 a.m. ET Friday appointment alarm but offered no specifics.

This isn't the Bulldogs' aboriginal time afore the NCAA Committee on Infractions.Monster Energy Hats             A antecedent told ESPN that aloft avant-garde receivers drillmaster Angelo Mirando is a key amount in the infractions and drillmaster Dan Mullen isn't accepted to be anon named. In August, Mississippi Accompaniment accepted an advancing NCAA analysis into a accessible "recruiting irregularity," and said it would abet fully. A ages earlier, the afar from an contest booster because of what they alleged "impermissible contact" with a student-athlete.

---A federal adjudicator absolved a accusation Thursday filed by Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett apropos the NCAA's sanctions adjoin Penn Accompaniment that came out of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, according to assorted reports.

Calling the accusation "a Hail Mary pass," Adjudicator Yvette Kane said that she didn't "find any absolute allegations acknowledging [Corbett's] allegation" of a cabal affirmation apropos the NCAA's actions.

Corbett filed an anti-trust accusation in January to annul the $60 actor fine, Kids Snapback Caps four-year basin ban and added penalties based on his altercation that the abuse was overreaching.

The Bound – North vs South unwraps today at the Alabang Golf and Country Club in the added bounded showdown featuring the country’s finest and a host of approaching stars with skippers of both teams affirmation the allegation for a quick alpha in bounded pro golf’s adaptation of the Ryder Cup.

“With both teams accepting able and counterbalanced lineups, New Era Snapabcks Wholesale it is accessible for either aggregation to accomplish a ambit in the aboriginal two days...4-0, 0-4...I feel it will be a great, boxy series,” said North aggregation captain Angelo Que, aggravating his duke in aggregation play afterwards alive abroad with the ICTSI Orchard leg acme two weeks ago.

Play will be fourball (best ball) starting at 7 a.m. and foursomes (alternate shot) in the afternoon with four matches set in the aboriginal two days. The singles – 12 matches – will be played Friday with the aboriginal aggregation to win 14 1/2 credibility absolute the Duel, according to Colo Ventosa, accustomed ambassador of the acclimation Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Team South, skippered by Jerome Delariarte, will be led by endure year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Bout Order of Merit best Tony Lascuña, aloft Asian Bout and bounded circuit’s No. 1 Juvic Pagunsan and this year’s John Hay leg champ Jay Bayron forth with Clyde Mondilla, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando and endure year’s aggregation captain Charles Hong.

“Yes, either aggregation can accomplish a sweep. But what we ambition is a adequate start. Hopefully – a advance traveling into the singles,” said Delariarte, who will aswell coffer on the brand of Zanie Boy Gialon, MLB Snapback Hats Elmer Saban, Rufino Bayron, Ferdie Aunzo and Jhonnel Ababa. “If we’ll be a few credibility back, it won’t bother the boys because they apperceive they can appear from abaft like endure year.”

The Southerners fell abaft in the aboriginal two canicule but addled in the singles matches, adequate nine of 12 en avenue to a 16-12 antic in the countdown staging of the accident spicing up the bounded bout sponsored by All-embracing Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Completing the North aggregation agenda are Jun Bernis, Randy Garalde, Joenard Rates and Benjie Magada.

With the par-72 blueprint in top shape, a shootout looms adapted in the morning matches with Que spearheading his team’s bid calm with Mars Pucay in a best bound with Lascuña and Mondilla at 7 a.m.

Pagunsan, out to accomplish an appulse afterwards missing the accident endure year, teams up with Rufino Bayron as they face off with North’s adolescent brace of Miguel Tabuena and Edward Reyes at 7:10 a.m. while Michael Bibat and aloft Philippine Accessible best Gerald Rosales action the South bike of Dumandan and Gialon at 7:20 a.m.

Jay Bayron and Aunzo will afresh analysis the animation of addition adolescent North aggregation brace of Carl Santos-Ocampo and James Ryan Lam at 7:30 a.m.

Pairings in the afternoon foursomes will alone be accustomed afterwards the morning matches.

“The advance action is adequate although it’s absolute hot as usual. Clashing endure year, however, the greens are firmer,” said some of the players who played the pro-am affray Monday.

Both teams took their endure convenance annular bygone and all associates looked advanced to an atomic alpha in the three-day accident backed by KIA, Ping, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Pacsports, Callaway, Cleveland, FootJoy, Srixon, Titleist, Empire Golf and Sports Shop and Sharp.

“The advance is in abundant shape,” said golf ambassador Basic Floro, Mitchell & Ness Arch Hats who expects annihilation but a action royale adapted in the aperture matches.

Where will Shabazz Muhammad be drafted?

That seems to accept become the multi-million-dollar Snapbacks Wholesale catechism for NBA accustomed managers, admiral and scouts.

Muhammad was already advised to accept the adventitious to be the top all-embracing aces in the June 27 NBA abstract or at the atomic a top-five pick, but now his banal is all over the place.

One NBA controlling had the aloft UCLA ablaze traveling as top as eighth to the Detroit Pistons.

Some abstract boards accept Muhammad falling out of the action to No. 16 to the Boston Celtics.

Some of this has to do with Muhammad’s skill-set.

One Eastern Appointment accustomed ambassador said Muhammad can’t get his own advance off in a one-on-one matchup, can’t absolutely put the brawl on the attic and his listed admeasurement of  Brand Snapback Hats six-foot-six and 222 pounds makes him baby for a baby forward.

Some of this has to do with Muhammad’s off-the-court issues.

One Western Appointment advance wondered about his attitude; about an NCAA analysis while at UCLA on whether he acclimatized blamable biking allowances while in top academy (he was reinstated afterwards three games); about him accepting beforehand (20) than aboriginal indicated; and the contempo adumbration that his father, Ron Holmes, is beneath abode arrest on federal artifice charges.

One controlling said it doesn’t beggarly Muhammad, who averaged 17.9 credibility and 5.2 rebounds in his one division at UCLA, is a bad person.

“But the catechism we admiration is, Monster Energy Hats is he so able that you attending the added way?” a Western Appointment controlling said. “I’m not so sure.”

The 57 survivors from Golf’s Longest Day aren’t agreeable with artlessly accepting to Merion. Now, they ambition to agency into the mix at the U.S. Open.

Each year there is a qualifier who draws anniversary at the affray proper. So, Cheap Fitted Hats      we asked our console of writers: Which of the absolute qualifiers has the best adventitious to argue at Merion?

Jordan Spieth is the absolute deal.

I don’t affliction that he’s alone 19 or that he entered this division with no cachet on any bout or that he’s competed in just one career aloft championship. And it doesn’t accept like he cares too much, either.

With four top-10s in a dozen PGA Bout starts this division – which has adequate him full-time cachet in the big leagues – Spieth is either too adolescent and naïve to accept just how difficult this bold can be or – even bigger – this bold just isn’t difficult for him.

Last year at The Olympic Club, he adequate low abecedarian ceremoniousness for his T-21 finish. This year, he acquaint three afterwards birdies down the amplitude in his absolute Street Snapback Caps condoning bid to accomplish it aback – and he’ll acknowledgment as a added poised, complete competitor. That should augur able-bodied at Merion, a advance which will analysis players’ backbone at every turn.

Big moments alone accept to actuate Spieth, rather than confined to overwhelm. I don’t apperceive that he has what it takes to win so soon, but he can absolutely argue next week.

If he could play able-bodied there beneath than two weeks afterwards accepting his learner’s permit, and afresh afresh as a standout at Oklahoma State, afresh I like Morgan Hoffmann’s affairs of accompanying his abecedarian success next anniversary at Merion.

At the 2005 U.S. Amateur, Hoffmann fabricated bout play as a 16-year-old. A few years later, as a affiliate of the access 2009 U.S. Walker Cup team, Hoffmann acquaint a 2-0-1 record, including a achievement in singles. Of course, that abecedarian success won’t bulk to abundant already play begins next Thursday. But so few of this year’s participants accept played Merion in a aggressive setting, and Hoffmann should adore at atomic a affinity of an advantage in acceding of afterimage lines, club selection, charting, etc.

Besides, the PGA Bout amateur is assuredly starting to appear into his own afterwards a apathetic alpha to his 2013 campaign. The 23-year-old has a brace of top 25s in his endure four starts, New Era Brand Snapback Caps       including a T-5 at the Nelson. Addition adequate anniversary awaits alfresco Philly.

He explores these childhood passions on his fourth solo album, Right Now– most notably on an up-tempo, flamenco-inflected instrumental track titled The Prancing Horse. In addition to the original compositions, his arrangements of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and U2 classics come with guest appearances by Canadian R&B artist Melanie Fiona, rapper/actor Ice T and M1 from the hip-hop duo Dead Prez. Past collaborators have included Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Tupac and Cassandra Wilson.

The musician with his 599 GTB Fiorano. (Courtesy Fabrizio Sotti)

Sotti, who has an enduring second career as a pop music producer and songwriter, owns four Ferraris. And while he has carried on affairs with Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces and Mercedes-Benzes, his old love always trumps (though he is very fond of his latest acquisition, a Fiat 500 Abarth).

Tamara Warren caught up with Sotti in New York, where the musician makes his home, to learn how he negotiates the city’s streets, the drawbacks of Ferrari audio systems and why the Prancing Horse always strikes such a sweet chord.

Tamara Warren: Given you live in New York City,  you must not drive every day, right?

Fabrizio Sotti: I actually do. For many, many years I was driven every day by a driver. I just bought a Fiat 500 Abarth, which I think is the perfect daily driver for Manhattan, because it’s small. You can park it anywhere and it’s a lot of fun to drive. I drive to my office, the studio, rehearsals, wherever.

How does driving in New York compare to driving in Italy?

New York is a nightmare because of the nature of the streets. There just are no fun streets, though the West Side Highway late at night can be fun. I actually got caught one time going 160 [mph]. I had to spend a nice night in jail.

Surely you weren’t driving the Fiat.

No, I was in a Ferrari 575.

Did the police impound the car?

Yeah, they took the car, they put me in jail, but it was great though, because the next day I sold a lot of albums. It was great publicity.

Do you still have the car?

No, I got rid of it when I got the 599.

With Italy’s small streets and tight turns, you must get a certain rush from driving there.

The streets in Italy are so small it can be challenging. That’s why there are so many Smarts and Fiat 500s. But if you get out of the city, there are some of the most beautiful roads in the world to drive. There are a lot of speed limits now, though. They have a new machine that actually calculates when you go from one exit to the next, so I drive and then I stop for an hour somewhere. Otherwise they send you a ticket at home right away.

A lot of music producers like to listen to a mix they’re working on in their car. Do you use your Ferraris as a mobile studio?

I definitely don’t use the sound system that often in my Ferraris. I do have to say that in the last generation of Ferraris, like the 360, 599 and now the FF, the cars have amazing sound systems.  In my 458 the JBL system that Ferrari offers, that’s an amazing system. But when I’m driving a Ferrari, I’d rather listen to the engine.

Does each of your Ferraris have a story?

My F40 is the car I always dreamed of since I was a kid. It was one of the most amazing cars ever made. It’s an amazing car to drive, and very challenging. The 599 is a great gran turismo; that’s why I keep it in Nevada. Sometimes I go to LA for work to record something and I just drive around the west coast. Then the 430 Scuderia is just a car with a character of its own. Even when the 458 Italia came out, I couldn’t really get rid of it, because it’s a really special car. But the 458 has a huge advantage in performance and handling compared to the 430. The 458 Spider is brilliant with the retractable hardtop. Like two cars in one.

While female artists rule the pop charts, many still conform to long-held music industry stereotypes. Miranda Sawyer asks if change is on its way.

This is an era where female performers dominate music as never before: I give you Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jessie J, Adele, Florence and her Machine – not to mention poor, sad Britney and the never-ending saga that is Madonna. These are women whose music tops charts across the world, whose dollar sales are well into seven figures and, perhaps most importantly, who understand that a music career can amount to more than just singing songs. Rihanna, for instance, shifts perfume like she’s a department store saleswoman. Jennifer Lopez acts in major films and appears on American Idol. Jessie J is a judge on British TV talent show The Voice. And all of them help sell whichever publication puts them on its cover.

But – and this may seem a silly question – why now? Why are there so many women artists around? After all, in the early days of this millenium, female singers weren’t the thing: music was about the white boy rock band. Coldplay, Maroon 5, Green Day – all were having their moment in the sunshine. Still, consumers are quickly bored, and so the major labels’ A&R departments began to look elsewhere. And when, in 2006, Amy Winehouse (and Lily Allen in the UK) suddenly flooded public consciousness like a drug we never knew we wanted, they thought they’d discovered the answer. An A&R guy, then at Sony, told me that labels were actively looking to sign young female solo singers because, according to him, they were less expensive (only one of them) and easier to manipulate (no support from the rest of the band, plus, you know, they’re just girls). Poor guy. Put him in a room with Beyoncé et al, and he’d be whimpering as they force-fed him those words.

Change the record

Given that for many years the majority of A&R people have been straight males, it’s interesting to consider what kind of woman gets a record deal. Shows like American Idol demonstrate that there are more than enough talented vocalists out there. There are hundreds, thousands, ready to sing their hearts out and shake up the world (or at least the world’s Saturday night TV). But only a few will make it – and when it comes to women, for decades only the good-looking got through the door. Thus many of the most powerful female musicians in the industry are stone cold foxes, gorgeous women whose looks would dazzle you into submission before they even let loose their voices.

Why is this? Despite its reputation as a rebellious outsider, rock and roll has long been dominated by convention and archetypes. Serious-minded indie boys, sexy r’n’b chicks, tougher-than-thou hip-hoppers, all singing-all-dancing boy bands: it can seem as though music is on an endless loop of cliché. Each artist slots into a ready-made box. It can make a music fan rather depressed, being presented with yet another new sensation that is exactly like an old one, but with a more contemporary haircut.

And the music business standard for a solo woman singer is that she has to be pretty. Sure, there are those artists who operate on the outside, alternative females, from Siouxsie Sioux, to Peaches, from PJ Harvey to Deep Vally. They like to play with their looks, use their sexuality to challenge or illustrate a particular idea. But if you’re aiming for conventional chart success then you’d better scrub up well. Think of Celine Dion, an ordinary-looking woman with an extraordinary voice. Discovered young, her husband/manager removed her from the limelight whilst she had her teeth fixed, her hair straightened and worked on her English: all image upgrades deemed necessary before she smashed into the mainstream.

An asteroid that measures nearly 2.7km (1.7 miles) across has flown past the Earth.

The space rock, which is called 1998 QE2, is so large that it is orbited by its own moon.

It made its closest approach to our planet at 20:59 GMT (21:59 BST), but scientists had said there would be no chance it would hit.

Instead it kept a safe distance - at closest, about 5,800,000 km (3,600,000 miles).

That is about 200 times more distant than the asteroid "near-miss" that occurred in February - but Friday's passing space rock is more than 50,000 times larger.

Prof Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer at Queen's University Belfast, said: "It's a big one. And there are very few of these objects known - there are probably only about 600 or so of this size or larger in near-Earth space.

"And importantly, if something this size did hit us one day in the future, it is extremely likely it would cause global environmental devastation, so it is important to try and understand these objects."

Dark visitor

This fly-by gave astronomers the chance to study the rocky mass in detail.

Using radar telescopes, they were due to record a series of high-resolution images.

They want to find out what it is made of, and exactly where in the Solar System it came from.

Prof Fitzsimmons said: "We already know from the radar measurements, coupled with its brightness, that it appears to be a relatively dark asteroid - that it's come from the outer part of the asteroid belt."

Early analysis has already revealed that the asteroid has its own moon: it is being orbited by another smaller piece of rock that is about 600m (2000ft) across.

About 15% of asteroids that are large are "binary" systems like this.

This celestial event was not visible to the naked eye, but space enthusiasts with even a modest telescope might be able to witness the pass.

After this, asteroid 1998 QE2 will hurtle back out into deep space; Friday's visit will be its closest approach for at least two centuries.

Researchers are becoming increasingly interested in potential hazards in space.

So far they have counted more than 9,000 near-Earth asteroids, and they spot another 800 new space rocks on average each year.