SEATTLE -- Clean shaven, looking thinner and sounding energized, Seattle manager Eric Wedge was back behind his office desk Friday afternoon It was far better look than a month ago when Wedge was being helped off the field by team personnel in the midst of suffering a mild stroke. "I feel great. I feel better than I have in 10 or 15 years," Wedge said before the Mariners opened a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. "I think it was the perfect storm and a lot of things happened that culminated with that episode I had a month ago. So you make some changes to make sure you dont get back there." After a month away, Wedge was anxious about getting back on the bench. It was a month filled with doctors appointments and meetings, researching and relaxing, with the goal of figuring out why at 45 years old, Wedge suffered a stroke in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again. It was before the Mariners game on July 22 when Wedge fell ill. Standing behind the cage during batting practice, Wedge first started feeling something wrong in his head, then his legs and his vision. At that point he called for Mariners trainer Rick Griffin, who immediately started helping Wedge off the field. Wedge said by the time he got to the top of the dugout steps he was "dead weight." Wedge was confused and frustrated at the feeling of having something take over control of his body and not being able to stop it. "Every step we took further I got a little more upset because I didnt want that to happen," Wedge said. "Then when I got to the hospital, I knew it was a pretty serious thing." After a lengthy string of tests it was determine a day later that Wedge had suffered a mild stroke. And then began the process of meeting with doctors and specialists to determine how to prevent a recurrence. "They made it very clear, they marched them in there one by one before I left the hospital to let me know just how serious this was and how serious I needed to take this," Wedge said. "Its a shot across the bow, its a mulligan, its a heads up. And Im taking it as such." Wedge has made changes to his diet and made sure to get more exercise. How he handles stress will be an ongoing battle, considering his profession is stressful by nature. Wedge also said he was diagnosed with sleep apnea, which he believes played a big part in what caused the stroke in the first place. Wedge said his oxygen range when sleep was around 80 per cent. "I mentioned that perfect storm this was a big part of that perfect storm in regards to what happened to me," Wedge said. Seattle went 13-15 while Wedge was away from the club. He stayed in contact with bench coach Robby Thompson, who served as acting manager, and GM Jack Zduriencik throughout the month, but just watched games on TV or listened on the radio. Wedge intends on staying with the club for the rest of the season and understands he needs to continue with the changes hes started. "I never would have thought that I would be able to slow myself down, but when the doctor looks you in the eye and says slow yourself down or else you know hes not joking about it. And then the next doctor comes in and says the same thing, and the next doctor comes in, you know," Wedge said. "I think when you have intensity and passion and you care so damn much, to a fault maybe, and youre doing that all day long, eventually its going to catch up to you. I think thats where it ended up with me." Dougie Hamilton Flames Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. Sean Monahan Jersey . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. http://www.hockeyf... . 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. [url=http://www.hockeyflamesfanshop.com/Jarome-Iginla-Jersey/]Jarome Iginla Flames Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Jarome Iginla Jersey . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills president Russ Brandon opened 2013 vowing to transform what he called the franchises "tarnished" reputation. On Monday, Brandon closed the year with the job still incomplete. Though pleased with the direction the team has taken under first-year general manager Doug Whaley and first-year coach Doug Marrone, Brandon expressed disappointment with a 6-10 finish and the Bills extending the NFLs longest active playoff drought to 14 seasons. "I have all the faith and belief in (Marrone) and (Whaley) to keep continuing to get this ship pointed in the right direction and see significant progress as we enter 2014," Brandon said. "What we dont feel good about is sitting here and talking to you at 6-10. And that needs to change." Change was the operative word last off-season, when the Bills went through a near top-to-bottom overhaul. Buffalo purged much of its roster, and began a rebuilding plan that included drafting quarterback EJ Manuel with the 16th pick out of Florida State. The transition has yet to start paying dividends. In closing the season with a 34-20 loss at New England on Sunday, Buffalo finished with six wins for a third consecutive year, ended fourth in the AFC East for a sixth consecutive year, and extended its string of losing seasons to nine dating to a 9-7 finish in 2004. "With youth comes inconsistency," Whaley said. "So all those guys that contributed this year, we expect them to take a bigger step next year, play more consistent and be more productive." And that includes Manuel, who struggled with his consistency, and had his development stunted by injuries to both knees since August. Manuel missed the final two preseason games with a left knee injury. He missed four regular-season games after spraining his right knee in a 37-24 loss at Cleveland. And he then closed the year missing the final two games after tearing a ligament in his left knee. Manuel finished with a 4-6 record, completed just 58.8 per cent of his attempts (180 of 306 for 1,972 yards) and finished with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Marrone maintains confidence in Manuel, and has already informed the quarterback hell be the teams starter entering next season. Dismissing his critics, Manuel called his rookie season a learning process. "Obviously, youre going to have ups and downs as a rookie," Manuel said. "Ive had some good games, and theres a lot I caan take and build from.dddddddddddd. I dont really know whos questioning things. But as far as me, Im just continuing to get better." Marrone announced hes already made one change to his staff by firing receivers coach Ike Hilliard because of "a difference in philosophy." Hilliard, who spent 12 seasons in the NFL playing receiver, was responsible for overseeing a young group that included rookies Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. On the personnel front, Whaley intends to make an offer in a bid to re-sign three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd. And Whaley didnt rule out the possibility of using the franchise designation for a second consecutive year to retain the players rights even if it risks the possibility of having the player miss the entire off-season as he did this past year. Byrd is open to re-signing, and also braced for possibility of the Bills retaining his rights once again. "Im at peace with everything. I know what to expect," Byrd said. "Ive gone through it once. And itll be good. However it works, itll be good." Statistically, the Bills showed improvement on several fronts. Their defence, though inconsistent in stopping the run, finished second in the NFL with a franchise-record 57 sacks. The defence ranked 10th in the NFL in yards allowed -- the units best finish since placing second in 2004. Byrd, defensive tackle Kyle Williams and defensive end Mario Williams all earned Pro Bowl selections this year. The defence also featured linebacker Kiko Alonso, a second-round pick, who is regarded an NFL defensive rookie of the year candidate. On offence, the Bills running attack finished second in the NFL with 2,307 yards -- the most since 1992. Running back Fred Jackson was among numerous veterans who expressed confidence the team might finally be turning the corner. "If you watched us play this year, youll know that were not the same team that weve been," Jackson said. "But theres no moral victories. We know that. We know that for us to be relevant, we have to win more football games." ---- NOTES: The Bills retained the rights to seven practice squad players: QB Dennis Dixon, DB Mario Butler, OTs Edawn Coughman and Jamaal Johnson-Webb, DE Ikponmwosa Igbinosun, WR Brandon Kaufman and LB Jacquies Smith. ... Whaley said hes open to re-signing PK Dan Carpenter and P Brian Moorman. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys China ' ' '