LOS ANGELES -- Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robitaille squinted into brilliant sunshine Monday as the 18-wheel truck carrying the NHLs portable refrigeration units pulled up to the outfield entrance to Dodger Stadium. In less than two weeks, their Los Angeles Kings and the rival Anaheim Ducks will turn Chavez Ravine into Californias version of a winter wonderland. The NHL is staging its first warm-weather outdoor game on a hockey rink flanked by a beach volleyball court and an below-ground swimming pool in the famed baseball stadiums outfield. The NHLs ice-makers were already at work on a beautiful 79-degree day, and Gretzky cant wait to see the next step in the evolution of a sport that didnt bloom in the California sun until the Great One moved to Los Angeles in 1988. "Im very proud that I was a piece of the group that was sort of responsible for stamping hockey into this area," Gretzky said while standing on the centre field grass. "It was the right group of guys, from Luc (Robitaille) to Marty McSorley to Kelly Hrudey to Tony Granato," Gretzky added. "Each and every guy understood that this was a different market from other markets in the NHL, and these guys always went above and beyond the call of duty to go out and promote the sport and get more and more kids interested." The game will be a landmark for hockey in the American Southwest, which has produced a handful of NHL players and dozens more prospects in the pipeline over the past quarter-century. But the game also heralds the return of the leagues career scoring leader to hockey prominence. Gretzky has mostly stayed out of the public spotlight for five years since leaving the Phoenix Coyotes bench, but he will be a prominent feature during the festivities, thrilling the NHL. Accompanied to Dodger Stadium by his wife, Janet, Gretzky said he is thrilled to see an outdoor game in the city where he played nearly eight NHL seasons. Robitaille, now the Kings president of business operations, said Gretzky is "like our Babe Ruth, and we need him around." "We cant have this game without having Wayne," Robitaille added. "Its so important hes here. Its so important that he be here for that game. Its the day before his birthday, too. Ive got to remember to have a cake." Gretzky, Robitaille and Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau got a detailed look at early preparations for the game, which will be played after the sun goes down on Jan. 25. The NHLs ice crews are putting down the foundation for the rink over the next few days, likely beginning the ice-making process Thursday. They will work entirely at night, gradually building up the ice sheet in colder temperatures while keeping it covered during the day. NHL ice specialist Dan Craig is intrigued by the challenge of a warm-weather game, but confident his crew will deliver a workable surface -- although he wont be getting much sleep over the next two weeks while working through the nights. Gretzky and Robitaille also arent worried. After all, they both remember the Kings outdoor exhibition game in 1991 in Las Vegas, where the biggest hitch was a grasshopper invasion of the ice. "People dont realize its like 65 degrees in a hockey arena," Gretzky said. "Its kind of warm. Its not that cold." http://www.hockey... . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. [url=http://www.hockeyflamesfanshop.com/Theoren-Fleury-Jersey/]http://www.hockey... . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. [url=http://www.hockeyflamesfanshop.com/Kris-Russell-Jersey/]http://www.hockeyfl... . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. [url=http://www.hockeyflamesfanshop.com/Jarome-Iginla-Jersey/]http://www.hockeyf... . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. [url=http://www.hockeyflamesfanshop.com/Mike-Vernon-Jersey/]http://www.hockeyfla... . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston.PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Ever since the game was invented, before television or even radio existed, baseball counted on the eyes and ears of umpires on the field. Starting this season, many key decisions will be made in a studio far away. Major League Baseball vaulted into the 21st century of technology on Thursday, approving a huge expansion of instant replay in hopes of eliminating blown calls that riled up players, managers and fans. "I think its great," San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Its about getting it right." Acknowledging the human element had been overtaken in an era when everyone except the umps could see several views over and over in slow-motion, owners and players and umpires OKed the new system. Now each manager will be allowed to challenge at least one call per game. If hes right, he gets another challenge. After the seventh inning, a crew chief can request a review on his own if the manager has used his challenges. "I tell you the fans will love it," baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said after owners met and voted their unanimous approval. "Its another in a long list of changes that will make this sport better than it already is." Baseball was the last major pro sport in North America to institute replay when it began late in the 2008 season. Even then, it was only used for close calls on home runs. The NFL, NBA, NHL, some NCAA sports and major tennis tournaments all use a form of replay, and even FIFA and the English Premier League have adopted goal-line technology for soccer. Not that managers wont still occasionally bolt from the dugout, their veins bulging. The so-called "neighbourhood play" at second base on double plays cannot be challenged. Many had safety concerns for middle infielders being wiped out by hard-charging runners if the phantom force was subject to review. Ball-and-strike calls cant be contested. Neither can check-swings and foul tips. Nor can obstruction and interference rulings -- those are up to the umpires judgment, like the one at third base in St. Louis that ended Bostons loss in Game 3 of the World Series last October. All reviews will be done by current MLB umpires at a replay centre in MLB.coms New York office. To create a large enough staff, MLB agreed to hire six new big league umpires and call up two minor league umps for the entire season. A seventh major league umpire will be added to replace the late Wally Bell. The umpires on the field will be able to talk to the command centre. The replay umpire will make the final decision -- that could include where to place runners if, say, a call is reversed from out to safe on a trapped ball in outfield. In addition, managers and others in the dugout will be allowed to communicate by phone with someone in the clubhouse who can watch the videos and advise whether to challenge a call. "Im excited to see how it works out. I am interested to see how the flow of the game is affected," Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said. "Its a good use of the technology that we have, the fact that we will be able to get more calls corrected and fixed." Joe Torre, MLBs executive vice-president of baseball operations, said work continues on a proposed rule that would ban home-plate collisions between runners and the catcher. The rule has not been written and talks on its content are ongoing bbetween MLB representatives and the players union, he said.dddddddddddd Even since William McLean became the first professional umpire when he worked a Boston-Philadelphia National League game on April 22, 1876, baseball has celebrated its old-fashioned traditions. Having umpires make the calls on the field was one of them. So were arguments between managers and umpires, often to the delight of fans. Worries that replays would slow the pace even more were offset by this: Replay decisions cannot be argued. Replay umpires will make their final rulings in no more than a minute to 90 seconds, MLB Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations Joe Torre estimated. "With our technology today we can do that in a way I dont think we will interrupt the flow of the game," Bochy said. To make reviews uniform, cameras will transit 12 angles from each ballpark. MLB Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred said it was uncertain whether the replay system will be in place in Australia for the season-opening series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. "For some, the discussions regarding expanded replay appeared to move too slowly, too deliberately," said Brian Lam, the lawyer for the World Umpires Association. "But there were technical and operational challenges that needed to be addressed, and that took time. With so many competing interests and opinions, it is unlikely that all will be completely pleased at the end of the day, but thats often the nature of things." MLB had talked for a few years about expanding replay to include fair-or-foul calls and traps. Several missed calls in the post-season ratcheted up the debate. The players union gave its approval for the 2014 season. "The players look forward to the expanded use of replay this season, and they will monitor closely its effects on the game before negotiating over its use in future seasons," union Executive Director Tony Clark said in a statement. Selig said the replay expansion ranks "very, very high" when compared with other moves made during his time on the job. The new rule allows ballparks to show fans the same replays on stadium video screens. But only plays under review can be shown on the screen in slow motion. "Its the first time in the history of the game that a manager has the opportunity to change the call of a play that may have adversarily affected their team," said Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz, who chaired the committee that came up with the replay plan, "that may have cost them the game, that may have cost them the division, that may have cost them a World Series." The existing rule on umpires calling for a review of whether a hit was a home run or not will remain, although the review will be done by the umpire in New York. Torre said the number of manager challenges were limited to a maximum of two to maintain "the rhythm of the game." "Were going to start this way and if we feel something has to be adjusted were certainly going to be aware of that," he said. Torre and MLB executive Tony La Russa, both ex-managers, joined Schuerholz on the replay committee. "Were really going for the dramatic miss, not all misses," La Russa said. "...This is a challenge for a game-changing play that goes against you, and now you can correct it." [url=http://www.cheapnflauthenticjerseys.cc/]Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '