News & Neuigkeiten » bowler and bring in a youngster at No. 7. I

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- After the Minnesota Vikings worked out six kickers on Tuesday, coach Mike Zimmer reiterated his support for Blair Walsh on Wednesday morning.The Vikings worked our Kai Forbath, Randy Bullock, Zach Hocker, Travis Coons, Marshall Koehn and Aldrick Rosas on Tuesday but opted to stick with Walsh after his missed extra point and blocked field goal on Sunday. The kicker has missed more extra points (three) than any kicker in the league this season and is tied for 25th in the league with a 75 percent success rate on field goal attempts, but Zimmer said, I still believe in him.Its a different tone than the coach struck on Monday, after Walshs misses cost the Vikings in a 22-16 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. When asked why the Vikings planned to work out other kickers, Zimmer said, You havent been watching all year? He later added, At some point in time, you have belief and confidence in guys because you know what theyve done in the past. You know what theyve done. Weve missed three extra points this year; weve missed several field goals. The way our games are being played, theyre probably going to come down to a lot of close games -- I hope so at least, anyway. We have to look at all avenues as far as what gives us the best opportunity to win football games.On Wednesday, though, Zimmer said the Vikings looked back at Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby, who was retained by the team after missing 12 field goal attempts in 2012. Since then, Crosby has made more than 80 percent of his field goal attempts each season and has missed only three extra point attempts in that time.He had one year where he struggled, and fought through it, Zimmer said of Crosby. I look at a lot of different things -- the game winner [Walsh] had against Chicago last year, the game winner he had against St. Louis, the field goals that hes made.Walsh missed a 27-yard attempt in the closing seconds of the Vikings 10-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC wild-card game in January, and the Vikings made a careful effort to try and rebuild the kickers confidence this offseason. As Walsh has struggled, though, the Vikings finally made the decision to consider other options on Tuesday.Asked whether the tryouts were meant to convey to Walsh -- who signed a four-year contract extension in 2015 -- that his job wasnt guaranteed, Zimmer said, I dont necessarily think it was psychological. We just have to cover all our bases.The coach said he didnt watch the tryouts on Tuesday; he was busy having another procedure on his eye after tearing his retina last week. Zimmer squinted against bright lights during his news conference on Wednesday but said hes back to work on a normal schedule now.I told the players, if I can get six needles stuck in my eye in the last two weeks, they can suck it up for me, Zimmer said. Denis Savard Jersey . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Frank Brimsek Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/967b-hughie-lehman-jersey-blackhawks.html . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Gaye Stewart Jersey . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Alexei Zhamnov Jersey . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said day-night Tests are likely to be the future of cricket, just the way Twenty20s have gained popularity over ODIs in the last few years. Misbah also expressed reservations about the visibility of the pink ball, but said it would probably lead to a fair competition between bat and ball.At the moment, it looks like [the future] keeping in mind the interest of the audience, who want to watch Test cricket, Misbah said a day before Pakistans first day-night Test, against West Indies in Dubai. After they [spectators] come from work, its a good opportunity and you will see it mostly in future. Lets see how it goes with the pink ball, its an experiment. First the one-day came, then Twenty20 came, so [day-night Test] is a good step to keep the Tests alive.When asked about the pink ball in particular, Misbahs main concern related to the timing of the Test; he said the players would have to readjust to the pink ball once the lights come on later in the day. Misbah also did not hesitate to crack a joke, when asked if the pink ball needed more grass to survive on.The only difference is the different timing [of the matches], just the visibility because its different for red ball and white ball, he said. Maybe when the pink ball gets older, you have to look at it carefully as a batsman because it could be difficult at times [under lights]. You need to make a few adjustments here and there. Overall, its good playing under lights also. Its not like its terribly difficult for the batsmen. Its a fair competition between bat and ball.Maybe the pink ball survives on grassy pitches but we also have to make sure that we survive as a team, Misbah said with a laugh. You look at your strengths and I believe that its up to the team; the better team performs well in all conditions and that is the bottom line. I think if you are a good team, then you do well irrespective of the circumstances. Forget about the pink ball and lights, just go out and perform.Pakistan had recently moved to No. 2 in the ICC Test rankings after drawing 2-2 in England, and rose to the top for the first time since the current ranking system was introduced when Indias last Test in the West Indies was washed out. Now No. 2 again after Indias home series win against New Zealand, Misbah said they would rather focus on the upcoming series against West Indies than the rankings.ddddddddddddThats not important for us, Misbah said. The most important thing is to do well; we are more attentive to our performance in this series. You cant take West Indies lightly because they are a young side and they have everything to prove and such a side is more motivated. We have done well in the last six years, did well on the England tour so the expectations are high. Pakistan would, however, be without Younis Khan for the first Test as the batsman was advised 10 days of rest to recover from a bout of dengue fever. That would probably mean a debut for an in-form Babar Azam, who struck three straight centuries in the recent ODIs, and maybe a shuffle in the batting order too. Pakistan had already moved Azhar Ali to No. 3 during the England tour after Shoaib Maliks Test retirement last year, and tried Asad Shafiq ahead of Younis only for the fourth Test, in which Shafiq shone with a century.I think at the start it was tough, we had to do that in England and considering the conditions it was tough. Not only promoting Azhar but also Asad for No. 3, Misbah said. Once we did that and it was successful, we know can do that again. It was a chance to bring in the fifth bowler and bring in a youngster at No. 7. I think a window has opened. I think opening and batting at No. 3 here is a good opportunity before the [upcoming away] New Zealand series, so its an advantage to do this before a tough series and settle down on a structure and a balance.I think there could be no better time than this to make his Test debut, Misbah said of Azam. He has played mature innings and has developed well. He has played well not only here but also in New Zealand and looks a good prospect. He is lucky to get a chance at this time, unfortunately because of Younis absence due to ill health, but I think this is the best time.Pakistan will be playing their 400th Test starting Thursday and Misbah said it would be a source of motivation for the players to make the historic match memorable for them. ' ' '