2012 » a real focus and a lot of money going to the elite level

MINNEAPOLIS -- One team in Thursdays Game 5 of the WNBA Finals is trying to keep a dynasty alive. The other is trying to start one.The Minnesota Lynx are looking for their second straight WNBA crown and what would be their fourth title in the last six years. That would match an all-time record for most team titles in league history.The Los Angeles Sparks, meanwhile, are looking for their first championship since 2002, when they won the second of their back-to-back titles. The Sparks had run into the Lynx in the playoffs in recent years and havent played in a Finals since 2003.After trading wins through four games, everything hinges on Thursdays finale at Target Center.We each won on each others home court, and thats not easy to do, when you look at the home court that we have and our fans and you look at what exists here, Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve said after Game 4. ... Now its Game 5, which is what everybody was asking for, hoping for, and here we are.Two of the four games so far in the series have been very one-sided. The Lynx handily won Game 2 by a 19-point margin, while the Sparks dominated in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead after a 17-point victory.Los Angeles escaped Game 1 with a two-point win thanks to a buzzer beater by Alana Beard and some tough defense down the stretch. Minnesota forced a Game 5 with a win Sunday, fueled by a 31-point effort from Maya Moore.Moore, a former WNBA MVP, has averaged 22.3 points through these playoffs. As she has gone, so too have the Lynx.Obviously Maya Moore hit some big shots, made some big plays, both ends of the floor, Sparks coach Brian Agler said following Los Angeles loss in Game 4. Got a lot of respect for them. Theyre a championship team. Theyre well-coached.Rebounding was key for Minnesota in Game 4. The Lynx out-rebounded the Sparks 41-25, including 14 offensive boards. Minnesota was the third-best rebounding team in the league all season, while Los Angeles ranked third-to-last in that category. The Sparks will have to find a way in Game 5 to account for Sylvia Fowles, who alone had 13 boards -- six on offense -- for the Lynx.A bonus for both teams is that they should be plenty fresh for Thursdays showdown. Game 5 takes place four days after Sundays Game 4 in Los Angeles, giving each ample opportunity to rest and prepare.Both teams will have had a chance to get their legs back underneath them, Agler said. I think itll be competitive again on Thursday. Thats what I anticipate.The two Western Conference foes have gone back and forth all series, from quarter to quarter and game to game. So far, the series has lived up to the hype as the top two seeds in the playoffs have had the opportunity to go toe-to-toe.Now its a matter of which team can land the last punch.Obviously its been a great series, lots of ups and downs, and two great teams battling it out, said Lynx veteran guard Lindsay Whalen. There will definitely be a lot of energy for both sides on Thursday.Cheap Air Max 2018 China . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Air Max 2018 Clearance . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. http://www.cheapairmaxsaleonline.com/ . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. Air Max 2018 Outlet . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Green Air Max 2018 . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed.Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has urged the NRL to take a cautious approach to expanding into Western Australia.Rugby League continues to extend its reach far away beyond its eastern seaboard home, with nib Stadium hosting Perths first ever rugby league international between Australia and New Zealand on Saturday.The western capitals yet to be finished Perth Stadium will host a State of Origin fixture in 2019, as the ARL Commission continues to search for new markets.But on the back of the failed Western Reds experiment, Meninga said rugby league needed to work harder to create fertile ground for a top level side to be based in Perth.I think there will be eventually a team here, but when Im not quite sure, Meninga said.ARL Commission chairman John Grant has spoken about developing the game, I think thats a smart play.But I think (you need) to develop the game at the grassroots, and get all the participation rates up.I think theres a real focus and a lot of money going to the elite level but theres also got to be a focus (on grassroots).ddddddddddddOur game has to have a future and the only way to have a future is to get young kids playing the game.There is no doubt there is an appetite for rugby league in the west. The clash between the Kiwis and the Kangaroos at the 20,500 capacity nib Stadium has sold out.Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith said that was proof the game had a foothold in WA.If the interest level is high and the participation is high itd be great for our game to be playing right across the country, Smith said.Itd be great for our broadcasters. Weve got a CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) coming up and the players are very passionate about growing our game and were not just concerned about making money for ourselves, we want our game strong at grassroots level. ' ' '