2012 » victories of the year on Oct. 22, th

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Although Juan Manuel Marquez rarely acts his age in the ring, the 40-year-old welterweight turned back the clock to a specific time and place while he battered Mike Alvarado. Under the spotlights, the smoke and the deafening cheers, Marquez was once again the king of the Forum ring, returning in grand style to the refurbished arena for one more celebration of his brilliance and longevity. Marquez won a clear unanimous decision over Alvarado on Saturday night, dominating in the Forums first boxing card in 13 years. "I wanted to give the public here a gift," the four-division champion said afterward while a pro-Marquez crowd roared its approval. "A gift that dignifies the history of this event and the history of the Forum. I wanted to make this fight a gift for the fans." Marquez (56-7-1) dismantled Alvarado with 12 rounds of technical brilliance and vicious power, knocking down Alvarado in the eighth round and bouncing back from his own ninth-round knockdown to finish strong, even staggering Alvarado right before the final bell. Judges Max DeLuca and Julie Lederman scored it 117-109 for Marquez, and Robert Byrd favoured him 119-108. The Associated Press also scored it 117-109 for Marquez, giving him 10 of the 12 rounds. Marquez improved to 13-0 at the Forum, the former featherweight prospects regular home during the late 1990s. Although he once lived in Anaheim, Marquez hadnt fought in California since his last Forum bout in 1999, and thousands of his local fans turned out to support arguably the greatest Mexican fighter of his generation. The win sets up Marquez for a fifth fight with Manny Pacquiao in the fall in Macau, if Marquez wants it. His knockout victory over Pacquiao in December 2012 was the crowning moment of his career, but the money might compel him to add a fifth chapter to their rivalry. "Well relax first," Marquez said. "I dont know at the moment, but any decision we make will be good for me, good for my family and good for the Mexican fans." Alvarado (34-3) never got rolling in his second straight defeat, struggling to land any major shots beyond the right that sent Marquez to the canvas. "It was a bad experience being in there with a legend," Alvarado said. "I was warming up a little bit too much before I started getting off. It was on me, but it was a great fight." Marquez, who made $1.4 million, showcased the roots of his success against Alvarado, whose apparent fear of Marquezs famed counterpunching left him waiting for Marquez to clobber him. Marquez outlanded Alvarado in 11 rounds, connecting with 44 per cent of his 627 punches. His power shots were even more devastating, landing 57 per cent to just 34 per cent for Alvarado. Marquez was in charge from the opening rounds. With Alvarado sitting back and waiting, Marquez pounded him to the body and pulped the left side of his face, opening a cut under his eye in the middle rounds. "Thats the kind of fighter I am. I like wars," Alvarado said. "Thats how he exploited me, but thats how I fight." Marquez knocked down Alvarado with a counter right hand in the final seconds of the eighth, sending Alvarado sliding under the ropes and nearly off the canvas into the photographers. Alvarado recovered after the bell, and he knocked down Marquez with a double right hand early in the ninth, stunning the crowd. But the shot only seemed to enrage Marquez, who landed big combinations for the rest of the round. Alvarados face was swollen with damage under both eyes in the final rounds. Alvarado wobbled Marquez again in the 11th round, but Marquez kept his feet and finished to a standing ovation. Marquez took a split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley last fall in his first fight since his victory over Pacquiao, but he was back on top in the heralded return of boxing to the Forum, the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings. The Forum was a boxing hotbed for 30 years, hosting Muhammad Alis second fight with Ken Norton along with dozens of fight nights promoted by the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss. "It was a very entertaining fight, and the thing that really thrills me is its a great fight to come back to the Forum with," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. "So many years ago, there were so many nights at the Forum when we had fights like this." Alvarado hadnt fought since Ruslan Provodnikov stopped him last fall. Alvarado moved away from his native Denver to the Los Angeles area in preparation for this bout, determined to avoid the pitfalls lurking in his hometown. Kansas City Royals Shirts . Irving played 10 minutes Sunday night before going to the locker room. He had two points and four assists, missing all five of his shots. The All-Star game MVP is the top scorer among Eastern Conference point guards with 21. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . - The Washington Redskins have signed free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ . No surprise there. Kershaw, who also earned the title after throwing his first career no-hitter in June, had a 1. Custom Kansas City Royals Jerseys . That further limits the options of Australia coach Ewen McKenzie, who on Monday suspended six players who were involved in a night out in Dublin ahead of the Saturdays 32-15 win over the Irish. The Wallabies play Scotland on Saturday before facing Wales on Nov. Wholesale Royals Jerseys . Thats how the Ravens won when Ryan was their defensive co-ordinator from 2005-08, and that is precisely the formula Baltimore used to beat Ryans New York Jets on Sunday.TORONTO – Its been more than a decade since the Leafs last held an elite home record. “That was one of the goals we wanted to create is when teams come into this building theres no more of this two points, kiss your relatives and go home,” said Randy Carlyle following a fifth straight victory at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. “Its enough of that.” The win, also the seventh in the past eight games at home, improved the Leafs record in Toronto to an impressive 8-2-0, right there amongst the very best in the Eastern Conference. Success of that kind has generally eluded the club in recent years. Since holding the top home mark in the conference in 2001-2002, the Leafs have become a mediocre bunch on home ice. Last season, Carlyles first full campaign behind the bench, they finished with the eighth best record in the conference, their best finish since the 05-06 season when they held the sixth best mark. Home ice has rarely resembled a place of refuge for the Leafs in the past decade or so. Season Home Record Conference Rank 2013-2014 8-2-0 3rd 2013 13-9-2 8th 2011-2012 18-16-7 13th 2010-2011 18-15-8 11th 2009-2010 18-12-8 14th 2008-2009 16-16-9 12th 2007-2008 18-17-6 13th 2006-2007 21-15-5 10th 2005-2006 26-12-3 6th 2003-2004 22-14-3-2 7th 2002-2003 24-13-4-0 5th 2001-2002 24-11-6-0 1st In winning eight of their first 10 at home, the Leafs have benefited from a potent offensive attack; outscoring opponents 35-23, including 18-7 during the most recent five-game win streak. Theyve generated more than a goal per game more at the ACC than on the road – 3.5 per game vs. 2.27 – helped considerably in that regard by the leagues no. 1 ranked home power-play (32.4%). The strongest foundation of the club so far, terrific goaltending from both James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier – combined .933 save percentage – has shown up both at hoome and on the road.dddddddddddd Never a bad thing to start with the lead, the Leafs have also scored first in seven of those first 10 home games. “I dont think you can be a successful hockey club without having a strong home record,” said Carlyle, his team hosting the Predators on Thursday night. “That brings that respect back to your community and your fan base.” The Leafs dip on home ice post-lockout (03-04) was unquestionably tied to the clubs general struggles, the quality of those teams a major part of the equation. But as Carlyle wryly noted (Ron Wilson previously opined with a similar belief), there is a sense that opposing teams, stocked with talent from the GTA, visit Toronto with extra motivation, the influx of family and friends on hand for the occasion inflaming that drive. Unlikely to help matters either is the tepid intensity of the local crowd. Among the tamer environments league-wide – save for the playoffs last May – the ACC generally does not provide much in the way of fan-engineered enthusiasm – again, lacking team success certainly factors in once more. The playoffs last May were a rare exception. “Typically its a quiet building,” said Joffrey Lupul, who has five goals and nine points at home this season. “And then to hear it change like that in the playoffs was pretty cool for us. It gives you that added motivation to play well at home and hopefully we can try and get the building back somewhere like that.” Looking around at some of the more raucous environments around the league, sensing the energy they provide to their respective teams, Lupul cant help but desire something similar for Toronto. “Chicago, Philly, Pittsburgh, New York, Montreal, Calgary,” said the 30-year-old with a laugh, listing those buildings whose atmosphere hed like to replicate at the ACC, “pretty much anywhere, Ottawa.” “Saturday night, its usually a pretty good atmosphere in the building, fans are there, but for the most part we say a lot of times create your own energy in the building. Thats just the way it is. Its mostly a corporate crowd I believe.” Given the clubs early trend of lackluster starts, its been a process to create that energy. The Leafs have often stuttered out of the gate at home (and on the road) before finding a proper track to two points (13-7-1 overall). In one of their better victories of the year on Oct. 22, they mustered a season-low two shots in the opening 20 minutes against Jonas Hiller and the Ducks before emerging with some of their finest hockey over the final two periods in a 4-2 win. “You want to get the fans involved in the game and the way to do that is not to be stuck in your own end for 10 minutes in the first period,” Lupul said with a chuckle or two, “and then you get them in the game, but its because theyre booing.” “We want to start well at home and try and get the fans in the game because whether people believe it or not you feed off the energy of the crowd a lot at home. I think we did it a lot last season at the end and in the playoffs and again, hopefully we can get it back to that level.” Part of Carlyles mandate when he replaced Ron Wilson in March 2012 was to re-establish home ice as a haven for success. The Leafs coach pointed right to wins and losses when asked what aspect of the culture he wanted to change – “Well our record for sure”. “We have to have success in our building,” he said. “Its imperative. Simple as that. If youre going to be a hockey club that is going to qualify [for the playoffs] and give yourself a chance you have to have a home record that you can be proud of.” ' ' '