Über das Forum » for Major League Soccer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Like every team in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder were hit hard with the news that TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager succumbed to his battle with Leukemia Thursday afternoon.Friday after practice, the Thunder players had a chance to express their thoughts on the man they all grew up watching.I think he was an incredible ambassador for our league, Thunder forward Nick Collison said. If you look at how popular the league is now and where it came from, he was a part of all that. He was in everybodys living room at home. I got a chance to talk to him quite a bit. These last couple of years when he was sick, he really made an impact on a lot of people. He made an impact on myself.Phoenix coach Earl Watson, who once played for the Thunder, also had nothing but high praise for Sager.Every genius, theyre not afraid of being who they are, Watson told Azcentral.com. He was a genius at his job, a genius at everything hes done. We all embraced him. Its like a great quote, I dont know who said it: Be who you are, the world will adjust. And hes the greatest example of that.According to a Thunder official, they do have something special planned to honor Sager.On the court, the Thunder (15-11) come into Saturday nights contest with Phoenix riding a two-game losing streak. They fell to Portland and Utah on back to back nights earlier in the week.However, both contests took place without guard Victor Oladipo, the teams second-leading scorer. Oladipo took a hard fall against Boston last week that knocked the wind out of him. In the process, he hurt his right wrist, which is why he sat out the two games.Without Oladipo, the Thunder are missing 16 points a game and the only other player outside of Russell Westbrook who can drive to the rim and make plays. But more importantly, they are missing their best defender in the back court.Defensively and offensively, he is a big part of our family, Enes Kanter said. Every game we need him bad. I just wish he gets well soon and gets to play with us.According to Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan, Oladipo will be re-evaluated Friday to determine if he will be available to play against Phoenix.Even though the Suns (8-18) own the third-worst record in the Western Conference, playing them shorthanded at the guard spot is not an ideal situation.The combination of Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker, TJ Warren and Brandon Knight average 68.9 points.Bledsoe has been especially dangerous for the Suns in the fourth quarter. Only Oklahoma Citys Westbrook has scored more points than Bledsoe in the clutch, which is the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime with no team leading by more than five points.Im just being more aggressive, Bledsoe told ArizonaSports.com, being confident; taking the shot and living with it.San Diego Padres Shirts . JOHNS, N. Padres Jerseys 2020 . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/ . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Cheap Padres Jerseys . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. San Diego Padres Gear . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed.NEWARK, N.J. -- The Latest on TV soccer analyst who admitted accepting kickbacks for filling unneeded prescriptions for himself and recruiting others to the scheme (all times local):4:15 p.m.An official with Major League Soccers Philadelphia Union says the team is aware that a TV analyst has pleaded guilty to receiving nearly $500,000 in kickbacks for filling unneeded prescriptions for himself and recruiting others to the scheme.Tim McDermott, the Unions chief business officer, said the team learned Tuesday that Peter Pappas had pleaded guilty.McDermott says the team is now gathering information and evaluating the facts as it relates to the case. He says the team will take the appropriate action once its review is complete.---2:50 p.m.A TV analyst for Major League Soccers Philadelphia Union has pleaded guilty to receiving nearly $500,000 in kickbacks for filling unneeded prescriptions for himself and recruiting otheers to the scheme.ddddddddddddPeter Pappas pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit health fraud in federal court in Newark. The pharmaceutical salesman from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania admitted he was recruited by a marketing company that was paid by pharmacies to refer people whose insurance paid for compounded medication including pain creams, scar creams and vitamins.Pappas admitted that he recruited others to join the scheme, including people using a health benefit program for service members and their families managed by the U.S. Department of Defense.The former goalkeeper on the defunct Philadelphia Kixx indoor soccer team has been the Unions TV analyst since 2013. He is a district sales manager for New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company Celgene, according to his LinkedIn page. ' ' '