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TORONTO -- Theres a new hip face of the franchise, a new look in the works, and in 2016 theyll host basketballs biggest party. nfl jerseys china . The Toronto Raptors officially announced Monday that theyll host the 2016 NBA all-star game and unveiled homegrown rap star Drake as their new "global ambassador." They also confirmed theyll have a new look and new colours -- but not a new name -- for the 2015-16 season. Its all in an effort to turn around Canadas floundering basketball franchise, and what Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., called the beginning of a "new age" for the Raptors. Now the team has to do its part to live up to the hype. "Anything you do, for me, its all based on winning," said Raptors president and general manager Masai Ujiri. "This is all great and beautiful for the city, but at the end of the day, my responsibility, and my teams responsibility is to put that basketball team on the floor that is going to try and win out there. "Its going to take time and patience, but were taking on the challenge, and we love it. The people, the organization, the fans I think deserve it in Toronto." Drake, who grew up a Raptors fan and calls some of the leagues biggest stars his close friends, said he approached the team about getting involved. "I want to bring the excitement into this building, I want a team that people are dying to come see, I want the tickets to be extremely hard to get, I want to bring that aggression, I want to bring that energy," said Drake. "And obviously I want it to be a top team in the NBA, if not the top team." A crowd of several hundred people -- including reporters representing sports, entertainment and news, plus MLSE employees -- squeezed into the atrium at the Air Canada Centre for the announcement, which kicked off one of the most festive Toronto Raptors media days in the teams history. Drake -- who looked sharp wearing the lone electric blue suit among a stage full of black-clad MLSE officials and politicians, including Mayor Rob Ford -- joked he would "have to go to Harry Rosen and get some more neutral suits because the vibrant blues arent going to cut it." Leiweke scheduled the announcement to coincide with the opening of camp, he said, to set a tone for the franchise. He called the day a "turning point" for the team. "I think what youre seeing is the remaking of a franchise, the remaking of what people think about us, the remaking of the demand in the marketplace for us," Leiweke said. "I think theres a reason that we led the NBA in new ticket sales the last few weeks, theres now a buzz about this organization." Leiweke stressed the all-star game isnt the final destination, that winning a championship is. But a team that hasnt made the playoffs since 2008 has a long way to go. The Raptors went 34-48 last season, spending most of it digging out of a horrific 4-19 hole. "Not to make Masai feel any more pressure than he already feels but I think we know weve got to be competitive by the all-star game," Leiweke said. "We cant be a dormant franchise, and what we wont do is have one thing to talk about in 2016, which is an all-star game. The all-star game should be part of a new image, it shouldnt be the new image." The players said there was reason to be optimistic. Rudy Gay, acquired in the mid-season three-team trade, looked stronger for his summer spent in the gym, and said hes put on 20 pounds of muscle. A lean Kyle Lowry looked about 20 pounds lighter. DeMar DeRozan spent much off the off-season improving his three-point shooting. Monday, they were focused on the beginning of training camp and the coming season, while sounding at best only mildly interested in all the all-star hype. "Its a lot better when you have a good team going into playoffs and is known as a good team and then host the all-star team, than (host the all-star game) as a sub-par team," Gay said. He did say Drakes backing meant something. "Hes a staple in this city, and for him to behind us as we try to get better as a franchise, it says a lot," Gay said. The 26-year-old rapper, who said he travels the world preaching the "gospel that is Toronto," grew up following the Raptors, and called the Vince Carter era the source of his best basketball memories. He envisions "everybody wearing Raptors stuff. I want to have merchandising through the roof, I want everybody to be proud and patriotic about being from here and supporting this team." Drake counts among his good friends: Raptors forward Amir Johnson, and Toronto native and University of Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins. Last week Johnson, on his own accord, bought out all of Drakes new album "Nothing Was the Same" at two Toronto stores. He then handed out the several hundred copies free to fans at downtowns Yonge-Dundas Square. "Hes just a great guy," Drake said of Johnson. "Luckily for us, we have an amazing foundation thus far, so I think for the franchise its going to take work but theres a base foundation there." What exactly his role will be -- or even how much hell be around the Air Canada Centre considering he just released his new album -- remains to be seen. But Leiweke promised Drake will have "as much a footprint on the all-star week as the NBA will allow us to." The city last hosted an all-star game in 2008 when Major League Soccer held its showcase here. The NHL staged its all-star game in Toronto in 2000 while the Toronto Blue Jays hosted baseballs marquee contest in 1991. The 2014 all-star game will be held in New Orleans while New York will host the 2015 contest. Leiweke says an NBA all-star game usually generates somewhere around $100 million for the host city but he predicted Toronto will eclipse that, saying he and Drake have been discussing making the festivities about more than just basketball and music. "Were already talking about fashion, were talking about films, were talking about food, were talking about all the things ... that are the trademark of this great city," said Leiweke. "We certainly see it as an opportunity to let everyone see all the phenomenal parts of Toronto." cheap jerseys . The Pittsburgh Pirates centre fielder stood frozen during the second inning while Matt Hollidays line drive sailed over his head and rolled to the fence for a double. cheap jerseys From China .E.I. -- Nova Scotias Colleen Pinkney needed 11 ends to hold off a late rally by Saskatchewans Cathy Inglis and remain undefeated at the Canadian senior curling championships with a 9-7 win Wednesday. http://www.cheapjerseys-fromchina.com/ . -- Hector Santiago shut down the Royals punchless offence for a career-best eight innings, and the Chicago White Sox roughed up Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie in a 9-1 rout Friday night. jerseys from china . The team also exercised the third-year options on guard Dion Waiters and forward Tyler Zeller on Wednesday. All of the moves were expected and came one week before Cleveland opens the 2013-14 season at home against Brooklyn. cheap jerseys online . United manager David Moyes predicted Sunday that Rooney would be out for "probably three weeks." "Its bad," Moyes said. "Its right down the middle of his forehead and it will take a while to heal.ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Los Angeles Kings relied too much on their goalie, but Jonathan Quick was up to the task against the Minnesota Wild. Quick made 27 saves, and Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter scored shootout goals for the Kings, who rallied to beat the Wild 3-2 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Carter and Drew Doughty scored regulation goals for Los Angeles, which had just 18 shots. Quick stopped Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu in the shootout. "He was huge," Kopitar said. "Over the course of the past three or four years weve gotten pretty familiar with his play. Hes always been back there holding strong for us, and tonight was no different. "He held us in there and we found a way to score a goal at the end of the game, and finished it off in the shootout." Matt Cooke and Jonas Brodin scored in regulation for Minnesota, which had never lost a home opener in its first 12 seasons (11-0-1). After Quick stopped Parise to begin the shootout, Kopitar made a deke on Niklas Backstrom to score for the Kings. Quick then poked the puck away from Koivu on Minnesotas second attempt before Carter beat Backstrom with a backhand to complete the comeback. With the Kings trailing 2-1, Carter scored on a rebound of a shot by Matt Frattin at 13:14 of the third period to tie it. "We had two periods where it felt like we were in our D zone the whole time," Doughty said. "That takes a toll on you. We were tired but the boys didnt give up in the third. We kept taking it to them and trying to get more chances." A fashionable pick to win the Pacific Division and go deep into the playoffs, Los Angeles made relatively few off-season changes to its roster. The Kings stayed with the core that helped them advance to the Western Conference finals last spring and win the Stanley Cup in 2012. Quick is a key part of that nucleus. He had to be at the top of his game as the Wild had little resistance much of the night when they crashed the net looking for rebounds. Quick made 13 of his saves in the second period, including a glove stop to rob Parise on a power play. "We dont ever come into aa game thinking we have Quick back there," Doughty said. wholesale nfl jerseys. "We know that in the back of our heads, but we want him to have the least amount of work possible. We gave him too much work." Despite the loss, Minnesota players took a positive look at their performance. "They were a little bit better getting out of their end. They had a few more chances. In the end, I think we deserved two points," defenceman Keith Ballard said. "With the shootout, that happens. We played a pretty solid hockey game. "If we keep replicating that game over and over again, I think well be all right this year." Minnesota got on the board just 64 seconds into the game when a centring pass from Kyle Brodziak deflected off Cookes skate in the crease and past Quick. After a video review, it was determined there was no kicking motion. Doughty tied it with a power-play goal at 7:40 of the first period with a one-timer from the top of the left circle that clanked off the far post and went in. Minnesota got its own power-play goal 10 minutes later to go up 2-1. Nino Niederreiter corralled a loose puck near the right boards and cut to the middle before backhanding a pass to Brodin, who was coming down the slot. His quick shot beat Quick high on the glove side. The defenceman had just two goals last season. But the Wild couldnt muster any more offence. "You know that that next goal is important," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "You know that extending that lead makes a huge difference and not giving them hope. At the same time we were playing pretty strong. "It didnt work out in our favour tonight, but playing like that you should have the confidence to bring it home." NOTES: Minnesota RW Jason Pominville signed a five-year, $28 million contract extension. ... Kings D Willie Mitchell played his first game in more than 15 months. He missed last season following two knee operations. ... This was the Kings only appearance in Minnesota this season. The teams are scheduled to meet Jan. 7 and March 31 in Los Angeles. ... Los Angeles will play at Winnipeg on Friday. Minnesota will host Anaheim on Saturday. ' ' '
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| Beitrag vom 09.10.2014 - 12:36 |
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| zake201 |
09.10.2014 - 12:36 |
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