Stars und Sternchen! » k was painful at times. Pe

While the English transfer window has been open since the first of January, a deal has yet to materialize that will see Toronto FC striker Jermain Defoe return to his homeland. While Defoe insists that he has never tried to orchestrate a move away from Toronto FC, it has been widely reported that a number of clubs are interested in acquiring his services. If Defoe does leave the club, Toronto FC will need to replace the Englishman with a proven goal scorer. One move that is being suggested is a possible swap deal with Sunderland that would see U.S. international Jozy Altidore (plus some financial compensation) coming to Toronto in exchange for Defoe. While Altidore has scored goals in the past – 39 goals in 67 appearances for AZ Alkmaar in Holland between 2011-13, for instance – his time at Sunderland has been a disaster. Since joining the Premier League team in July 2013, Altidore has scored just one league goal in 42 Premier League games. His struggles in the northeast of England have led many to believe that the American simply does not have what it takes to score goals at the highest level. If he were to return to play in MLS, Altidores reported wage demands are ridiculously high for a player in his current form. If Toronto FC is indeed making a move to bring Altidore to the club, they need to be very careful when they decide just how much they are willing to pay him. Some people believe that because the cap hit for a designated player is $387,000, it really doesnt matter what a club pays a player above and beyond that. Whether a designated player makes $1.2 million per year (like Gilberto) or $6.5 million per year (like Michael Bradley), it doesnt really matter; their cap hit is exactly the same at $387,000. These people are wrong. While it might not matter in terms of the salary cap, it does matter in a much more important place – the dressing room. Players are not stupid, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. They know exactly what they are worth to their team and, thanks to the Players Union releasing the salaries of its members, exactly what their teammates are worth, as well. In most of the world, salary information is kept private. Players do not know what their teammates are earning, or what their opponents in the league are being paid. Players can only guess at what these numbers are, which keeps dissension in the ranks to a minimum. In MLS - where everyone knows what everyone else is earning – publicly available salary figures can lead to major problems. Players do not begrudge each other what they earn – far from it, in fact. If a player is earning a high wage in relation to his teammates, the general consensus in the dressing room is Well done – can I get your agents phone number? There is rarely bad blood between players over what they earn. Problems arise, however, when players start comparing wages, taking into account performances on the field. If a player is being paid a fortune and not returning that investment with outstanding performances week in, week out, his teammates who are performing well begin to rethink their own value to the team. This then creates a rift – not between players, but between the players and the club; the players who are doing the business begin to think they are being underpaid and undervalued. These players base their value not on their market value, but on what their contribution to their team is in relation to their teams highest earner. Toronto FC does not need to look too far into its own past to find a stark reminder of the danger of overpaying players. When Toronto FC signed Dwayne De Rosario in late 2008, it was a dream move for both the player and the club. De Ro was coming back to his hometown club in the hopes of leading them first to the playoffs, and then to an MLS championship. It was a match made in heaven. De Rosario quickly became the main goal scoring threat for TFC – 11 goals in 2009 was bettered by 15 goals in 2010 – and he was well paid by MLS standards, earning a guaranteed salary of $443,750 in 2010. Unfortunately, De Rosario was not well paid by TFC standards. When Toronto FC made De Rosarios Canadian national team teammate, Julian de Guzman, the clubs first designated player in 2009, they decided to offer de Guzman a staggering contract - nearly four times as much as De Rosario was earning ($1,717,546 in 2010, to be exact). To compound this mistake, in 2010 the club signed Mista, paying the Spaniard $987,337 for half a seasons work. This caused a massive problem for TFC. De Rosario looked at his production on the field in 2010 (15 goals, 3 assists) and compared it to de Guzmans (0 goals, 2 assists) and to Mistas (0 goals, 1 assist) and things didnt add up. De Rosario was the man for TFC, but he wasnt being paid like it. Whatever your views are on what played out next – De Rosarios cheque-signing celebration, his subsequent trade to the New York Red Bulls in 2011 – the problems would likely never have arisen if TFC hadnt drastically overpaid both Julian de Guzman and Mista. This is why Toronto FC needs to be very careful if it decides to sign Jozy Altidore. The U.S. international will likely score goals in MLS. After all, hes done it before, notching 15 goals in 37 games from 2006-08 with the New York Red Bulls while still a teenager. At 25, he has the size, strength and experience needed to succeed in this league. But nowhere outside of MLS would you find a club willing to pay Altidore $5-$6 million per year to play for them. If TFC decides to offer that kind of contract to the player, theyd better be very confident that he is going to deliver a significant return on that investment. Andre Dawson Jersey . As deep as their roster is, they need their superstar. Rose scored 23 points in his return from a five-game absence due to back pain, and Chicago hung on to beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 90-79 on Monday. Jose Fernandez Jersey .com) - New England Patriots starting center Bryan Stork will not play in Sundays AFC Championship against Indianapolis due to a knee injury the rookie sustained last week. http://www.marlinsteamproshop.com/Marlins-Nick-Wittgren-Kids-Jersey/ . Charlottetown scored four times in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the defending champion Halifax Mooseheads on Friday. Starlin Castro Jersey . Kerr said he had dinner with Jackson, his former coach with Chicago and the new Knicks team president, on Friday night and they talked again Saturday. Kerr is in New York to work the game between the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors for TNT. Bryan Holaday Jersey . "You hate when they score," he said with some distaste at the thought. "You take pride in it.CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Andrea Petkovic remembered why she started playing tennis and along the way gave everyone else a reminder about how talented she is when shes at her best. The 26-year-old from Germany, who fell from ninth in the world in 2011 to 177th two years later, capped a stunning run to the Family Circle Cup title on Sunday, Petkovics first win in three years. She outlasted Jana Cepelova 7-5, 6-2 in the finals. "I just wanted to get back to why I started playing tennis, because I had fun playing it and because I love the sport," said Petkovic, whose progresses was slowed by several injuries that cost her much of 2012. The climb back was painful at times. Petkovic wanted to quit the game after falling in French Open qualifying last year and wondered if shed ever feel success at the sport again. So she decided to play for fun and not for the wins. "I just needed to remind myself and it came together this week, and Im very thrilled about that," she said. Petkovic entered this one seeded 14th, ranked 40th in the world and with few expectations about her first clay-court event of the season. Instead, Petkovics powerful forehand and grind-it-out mindset helped her oust three straight top 10 seeds in No. 4 Sabine Lisicki, No. 9 Lucie Safarova and No. 6 Eugenie Bouchard on the way to the finals. Petkovic used that same formula against Cepelova, a rising 20-year-old from Slovakia competing in her first WTA final. Cepelova led 5-4 and was a point away from capturing the first set. But Petkovic rallied to win that game and begin a run of eight in a row to take control of the match. "I have to let loose and play like I can," she told herself. Petkovic was energized after winning the crucial game and quickly broke serve to move in front. She took the set a game later and continued her run to build a 5-0 lead that Cepelova could not overcome. For Petkovic, the victory was more gratifying than her two other career WTA wins because of all her struggles. This "is a different feeling," she said. "Now, Im much more grateful. Its more rewarding." Petkovic dropped to the ground when Cepelovas final shot landed out of play. She jogged to the net to hug her opponent, waved to the crowd and did a celebration dance as fans applauded.dddddddddddd She let her fun side shine through all week. She joked in postgame comments she might get a bit crazy on the flight back home, dancing with flight attendants and drinking champagne from her latest trophy. "Im going to have champagne and I dont even drink champagne," she said. "But Im going to have it for the heck of it." Petkovic earned $120,000 for her third career WTA victory, which was her first since winning in Strasbourg in 2011. Petkovics victory closed a week of surprises at the Family Circle Tennis Center. Only one of the tournaments top 10 seeds made it through to the final four and it was the first time a WTA tournament included three semifinalists 20 years old or younger since Amelia Island in 2008. Cepelova had a stunning run of her own, topping world No. 1 Serena Williams on Tuesday night to set the stage for plenty more unexpected results. Cepelova became the Family Circle Cups first unseeded finalist since Elena Vesnina in 2011. Cepelova didnt expect a long visit here, arriving without her coach, trainers and hitting partners. She typically ordered room service at the hotel and had to scrape around to find hitting partners to warm up before matches. "Before the tournament, if somebody told me youll be in the tournament finals I would not believe them," Cepelova said with a smile. "But it was a really nice week." Cepelova is also projected to move up some 30 spots in the rankings to around 50th in the world when the new list comes out next week, the WTA said. Petkovic won the title in her second appearance here. She had reached the round of 16 last year, but had to withdraw from a match against Caroline Wozniacki. She was on the phone with her father, Zoran, after the win. Father and daughter now have Palmetto State success in common. Zoran Petkovic was one of the leading singles players at the University of South Carolina in the early 1980s. He told his daughter stories of how Americans on campus loved wearing "cowboy boots and blue jeans," she recalled, laughing. "He was very happy, very emotional," Andrea Petkovic said of their phone call. "I dont know if he was tearing up, though." Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '