Über das Forum » backyard Tuesday with sons Gunner and Pete

The two teams atop the Supporters Shield Standings face off Saturday night, when first-place FC Dallas visits Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce, Colo., to take on the second-place Colorado Rapids.FC Dallas (12-6-5, 40) leads the Rapids by three points in the Western Conference. Colorado (10-2-7, 37), which has played three more games than Dallas, can regain first place with a win.In order to post a victory, though, the Rapids will need to figure out a way to cool off red-hot Dallas star midfielder Fabian Castillo. Castillo has scored two goals and recorded three assists in his last five starts. He has scored five goals and had five assists in 13 career matches against Colorado.Michael Barrios leads Dallas with six goals, and Mauro Diaz also is having a big season in Dallas potent attack.Dallas and Colorado feature contrasting styles and strengths. Led by Castillo, Dallas owns the most prolific offense in MLS, having scored a league-high 34 goals. Dallas has scored 10 goals in its last five matches. The Rapids have allowed only 13 goals on the season, eight fewer than any other team. Colorado has allowed only four goals at home this season.Defensive back Axel Sjoberg has been a stalwart for the Rapids, anchoring their defense and not missing a minute of action in league play since mid-April.The Rapids have not lost in MLS play since April 10, a span of 14 games, but did drop a 2-1 decision to FC Dallas in U.S. Open Cup play on June 30. Colorado rested many of its starters in the Open Cup loss. Dallas took advantage, scoring twice in the second half, with Maximiliano Urruti delivering the game-winner early in stoppage time. Mauro Diaz also tallied for Dallas in the win. Dominique Badji accounted for Colorados goal.Its been a turnaround season for the Rapids, who, after finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference standings last season, have flourished this season. They maintained the top spot in the Western Conference standings for much of this season, before being overtaken by FC Dallas earlier this summer. Los Angeles Clippers Pro Shop . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Michael Olowokandi Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. https://www.cheapclippersonline.com/ . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. Johnathan Motley Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. Charles Smith Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . SAN DIEGO -- Star tight end Antonio Gates is under contract with the San Diego Chargers through the 2017 season.Hunter Henry is a rookie who has played in six games.And yet, the transition is already underway.Unlike at some positions, where a younger player largely sits until a veteran has retired or moved on, Henry is already showing that the Chargers made a smart choice with their second-round draft pick out of Arkansas.Hes a stud, man, said Gates, who came into the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2003 after starring in basketball at Kent State. Its self-explanatory with him. He was the No. 1 tight end coming out of college and now hes been able to be productive in the NFL. It just gives that added dimension of what he can do from an offensive standpoint.Gates is 36 and has been slowed by a hamstring injury, missing two games. He has 12 catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns.Henry is 21 and has made five starts, catching 19 passes from Philip Rivers for 310 yards and three touchdowns.Henry will eventually replace Gates. He could already be stealing his fantasy thunder.He should, man, rightfully so. He deserves it, said Gates, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection who was an AP All-Pro from 2004-06. Hes like a little brother. When you get to the point where Im at, I genuinely care about the kid. Offensively we are doing the things we need to do. So thats whats more important than anything. Obviously I want to be productive and he wants to be productive, But sometimes we have to take whats given to us. When he stops making those plays then vice versa, my chances and my opportunities come, I have to make my plays.Henry laughs at the little brother tag.I would consider him a big brother, but a lot older big brother, the rookie said. I like to mess with him because I was watching him like when I was in first grade. I was 7. They were in the playoffs like for four or five straight years and they were going back and forth with the Patriots and the Colts.Gates signed a two-year contract in March that will allow him to retire with the Chargers.This is his team. Hes the guy here, Henry said. I know that. Im not trying to step on any toes or anything like that, Im just going to try to do the best of my ability every time. Hes one of the best. I want him here as long as he wants to be here. I enjoy being around him off the field and then also juust on the field.dddddddddddd. Hes awesome to watch.Henry joined LaDainian Tomlinson (2001) and Keenan Allen (2013) as the only Chargers rookies to score touchdowns in three straight games. If he scores at Atlanta on Sunday, hed be the first Chargers rookie since Paul Lowe and Don Norton in the franchises inaugural season of 1960 in Los Angeles to score in four straight games. No Chargers rookie has scored touchdowns in five straight games.Exploiting mismatches, all three of Henrys touchdown catches have come with him lining up in the slot. At 6-foot-5, Henry is an inch taller than Gates. The rookie had San Diegos only touchdown in a 21-13 win against Denver on Oct. 13, reaching up to catch Rivers 5-yard pass.Hes got a great feel and a great knack, Rivers said. And really, one thing Im starting to realize is just the range he has. He has a real big catch radius, like the ball he caught on the touchdown. He was the only one who could have got that one.Henry went through his junior season at Arkansas last year without a drop, catching 51 passes.Not long after practice ends each day, Henry plugs in a Jugs football passing machine, grabs a teammate and a garbage can full of balls, and takes turns catching balls.It is a lot of repetition, Henry said. Im really hard on myself with it. Im almost OCD. I want to catch the ball. If I do have a drop in practice, I think about it all the time.Rivers has noticed, and passed along the example while playing in his backyard Tuesday with sons Gunner and Pete.It was boring for them to just stand there and play catch, Rivers said. They want to run around and run routes I tell them, our guys, our receivers, thats what they do is stand there and catch straight-on balls, all day, all the time, in between periods. Thats what pros do.Rivers and Gates have connected on 79 touchdown passes, the most in NFL history between a quarterback and tight end.Rivers also enjoys throwing to the young guy, and said there are still some different plays to be made with Gates and Henry on the field.But theres no better guy to learn from than Gates, Rivers said.---Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson---Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '