ST. PAUL, Minn. -- After a plan to build the Minnesota Vikings a new home cleared its final hurdle Thursday in the state Senate, the team executive who spent much of the past decade lobbying for the nearly $1 billion stadium could hardly contain himself. "Lets build it!" vice-president Lester Bagley shouted, hugging Vikings communications director Jeff Anderson. In the gallery above the Senate chamber, Vikings fans broke out in a rendition of the "Skol Vikings!" fight song, earning a reprimand from the Senate secretary. But it held no sting for Bagley and others associated with the team. The Senate vote capped an amazing comeback for the Vikings stadium dreams, which just a few weeks ago were fizzling before a visit from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell crystallized fears that the Vikings could leave the state without a new home. Gov. Mark Dayton has promised to sign the bill, a $975 million plan to build on the Metrodome site in downtown Minneapolis with just over half the cost paid with public money. At a celebratory news conference, owner Zygi Wilf recalled when he and his brother Mark first took ownership of the team nearly seven years ago and being asked whether they would move the team. "We kept on fighting that this day would come, and its here today," Wilf said. Dayton, who served as a main cheerleader for the deal for months, publicly thanked the Wilfs for agreeing to a $50 million bump in their share in final negotiations this week. "Without your willingness to take that last step, we wouldnt have crossed the goal line," Dayton said. On Thursday, the Vikings and the University of Minnesota announced they have reached preliminary agreement on the Vikings use of TCF Bank Stadium during construction of a new Vikings stadium. Under the agreement, the Vikings will pay the university a fixed fee of $250,000 per game. The combined rent and expected concessions and sponsorship revenue that the Vikings would share with the university would amount to $300,000 per game, or $3 million per regular NFL season. The Board of Regents takes up the agreement Friday, and university President Eric Kaler could sign the letter of intent in the next few days. The Vikings had pursued a stadium for years but gained leverage only when its lease on the Metrodome expired this past year. The team argued that the 30-year-old Metrodome didnt generate enough revenue for it to compete. Dayton, a Democrat, argued that without a new building the state could lose its most beloved franchise. The deal guarantees the Vikings future in Minnesota for three decades. The team would pay 49 per cent of construction costs: $477 million, which is $50 million more than owners initially committed. But the total public expense is slightly higher: $348 million for the state and $150 million for the city of Minneapolis. "Weve scored a touchdown, and its a touchdown for the state of Minnesota and its a touchdown for the Vikings fans," said Sen. David Tomassoni, a Democrat from Chisholm, prior to casting his vote in favour the bill. Even before the final Senate vote, the stadium bill had taken on an air of inevitability after the House approved it and adjourned for the year hours earlier. Opponents who sharply criticized the states share backed by expanded gambling couldnt muster the votes to block the bill. "Everybody wants a yes vote, everybody wants a stadium, but at what cost?" said Sen. John Howe, a Republican from Red Wing who voted against the final deal after supporting a Senate bill that included fees on luxury suites, parking and Vikings clothing. Supporters countered by reminding their colleagues of the pain of losing the Lakers and the North Stars to other states in past decades, and said they were inundated with messages from Vikings fans urging them to keep the team here. "Its time," said Sen. Geoff Michel, a Republican from Edina. "Its time for us to adopt a framework that allows us to keep a Minnesota franchise. Its time to keep the Minnesota Vikings here so that our children and our grandchildren, yes, can wear purple." Sen. Scott Newman, a Hutchinson Republican who voted no, said the state should be spending its money instead on things like health care, education and infrastructure. "I know it happens across the nation, but it saddens me to think that our citizens believe that this is a wise expenditure of tax money," Newman said. Bagley said the teams multimillionaire owners, New Jersey developers Zygi and Mark Wilf, supported the deal even though $50 million of the cost was shifted from the state to the team because time was running out. The Senate voted on the final day available for voting this year. Under the bill, the Vikings would pay about $13 million annually in operating fees, though a public authority gets the power to rent out the building on nongame days for concerts, conventions and special events. The Wilfs would get exclusive rights to recruit a professional soccer team to Minnesota. The bill gives the Vikings the option to upgrade to a retractable roof, but at their expense. Bagley said the Vikings havent decided if theyll make that enhancement. The Vikings intend to take advantage of an NFL loan program, sell naming rights and possibly impose seat license fees to help cover the teams end of construction costs. The states share was to come through expanded gambling, which some legislators opposed on principle. Others worried the state overestimated the money it would get by authorizing charitable organizations to offer electronic versions of pull tabs, a low-tech paper game offered in bars and restaurants around the state. Bobby Orr Blackhawks Jersey . Schwartzel led from the first round and never slowed down, finishing with a 25-under total of 263 at the Amata Spring Country Club for the South Africans first victory since last years Masters. Nick Leddy Jersey . But the most vivid memory Brandon Whitaker has about the 2011 campaign was the ball sailing off his fingertips on a third-down gamble that allowed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to earn a 52-44 overtime East Division semifinal road win over Montreal that ended the Alouettes two-year reign as league champions. http... .J. -- It appears Tim Tebow will be watching from the sideline again. [url=http://www.blackhawkshockeyproshop.com/ED-Belfour-Blackhawks-Jersey/]ED Belfour Blackhawks Jersey . But a six-run third inning off Randy Wolf proved to be plenty Friday night, and the Pirates pounded the Brewers 8-2. "I think it has a lot to do with how the games have gone here in the past," Correia said. "A five-run lead doesnt feel like much here. Br... Bollig Jersey . As part of the Kraft Celebration Tour, Creston will host a special edition of SPORTSCENTRE featuring anchors Darren Dutchyshen and Kate Beirness when they kick start the tour with a live broadcast from the British Columbia community on Friday, Aug. ATLANTA -- After listening to Doc Rivers lecture the Boston Celtics at halftime, Paul Pierce told his teammates to respect their coach and follow orders. "We were kind of bickering at each other a little bit too much, figuring out what defence we were going to run," Pierce said. "And I just had to say that the fight aint with one another. Its against the other team on the court." The Celtics responded in the second half, with Rajon Rondo finishing off a triple double as Boston rallied for an 89-81 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. Pierce scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter as the Celtics erased a 19-point deficit and went on to consecutive wins for the first time since late November against Oklahoma City and Orlando. Rondo had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Boston, which beat Indiana 94-75 on Friday night, had lost four straight road games. Rivers insisted that despite the first-half struggles against the Hawks, the game plan would not change. "I was like, This aint it, dont get mad at Doc, hes coaching," Pierce said. "Weve got to get mad at this other team." Lou Williams scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half for Atlanta, which has lost two straight. Jeff Teague added 17 points, and Josh Smith, who was 2 for 12 in the second half, finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Hawks got off to a fast start, then fell apart in the third quarter as Boston began doubling ballhandlers on the perimeter and clamping down on Atlanta inside. "They just climbed up in us defensively," Teague said. "They got physical and they brought pressure and got us out of our comfort zone. We just didnt respond." The Celtics trailed by 19 with 6:20 left in the second, but went up 61-60 on Jared Sullingers alley-oop layup with 3:47 left in the third. It was their first lead since the games first minute. Boston opened the third with a 14-1 run to pull within one. Hawks coach Larry Drew, whose team missed its first five shots from the field to begin the second half, called timeout at the 7:29 mark, but Teague lost the ball out of the bounds on the ensuing possession. Atlanta, which had 13 turnovers and three assists in the second half, was just 2 for 14 from the field in the third and trailed 71-62 heading to the final period. Kevin&nbbsp;Garnetts fast-break layup with 8:53 remaining gave the Celtics their first double-digit lead at 79-68.dddddddddddd Garnett finished with 14 points. "The second half was completely different," Rivers said. "We worked the set. The first play went from one side to the other on offence. On defence they were late in the shot clock because Avery (Bradley) and Rondo both were up ball pressuring. And it changed the game for us." Williams had outscored the Celtics 13-10 by the 5:47 mark of the first, connecting on his first seven shots from the field. His 16th point came on a layup for Atlantas first double-digit lead at 23-12 late in the first. But the Hawks could not overcome the absence of injured shooting guards Devin Harris and Anthony Morrow. Kyle Korver then fouled out with 6:37 remaining, and DeShawn Stevenson played only 13 minutes because of sore knees. Drew called it "probably the most disappointing loss of the season" considering the Hawks have gone soft with big leads all season and backed down from the team that eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs last season. "Weve seen this kind of scenario before where weve played well and then when it starts to get more physical, we dont respond," Drew said. "That was clearly what happened tonight." Jason Terry, in his first season with Boston and 13th overall, credited Pierce with backing up Rivers and straightening out the teams collective attitude. "We took the challenge," Terry said. "We took it personal. You come in at halftime, and Lou Williams has 21 points, primarily all easy baskets. He was just letting them fly. So we wanted to invade his space. As we did that, we started to get more and more stops. "Paul Pierce got it rolling. He really made his imprint on the game." NOTES: Korver fouled out for the first time in 27 games this season and finished with nine points. ... Atlanta scored 31 points in the first quarter, tying for the highest by a Boston opponent and the most since the Celtics opened the season Oct. 30 at Miami. ... The Hawks nine points in the third were a season low by a Boston opponent. ... Harris missed his ninth straight game with a sore left foot. ... Morrow was sidelined for the fifth straight game because of a strained right hip. ' ' '