Spaß & Spiel » This can be the only rational explanation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Georges Niang walked off the floor in the closing minutes with a bloody towel pressed tightly to his forehead, pumping his fist and riling up the Iowa State fans in the Sprint Center. Turns out he was just jumpstarting the celebration. Niang scored 25 points before leaving with that gash above his right eye, and the No. 16 Cyclones held on down the stretch to beat No. 10 Kansas 94-83 Friday night and reach their first Big 12 tournament title game since 2000. "We love competing for championships," Niang said later, a bandage over his wound. "Coach says take it one day at a time, but the Big 12 championship is one day away from us." DeAndre Kane had five 3-pointers and scored 20 points, and Big 12 player of the year Melvin Ejim added 19 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (25-8), who will play for just their second tournament title Saturday night against the winner of Texas-Baylor. The victory for Iowa State represented its first in four tries against Kansas in the Big 12 tournament, and its first over the Jayhawks in Kansas City since March 10, 1996, when the schools were still part of the Big Eight. It also allowed Iowa State to match its 2001 team for the second-most wins in school history, trailing only the 32 wins piled up by the 2000 team. Incidentally, it was that team that won the Cyclones only Big 12 tournament title. "Its a great win for us, for the fact it gives us confidence we can compete with anyone in the nation," Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg said. "It was good to finally get one of these after struggling to close out games against Kansas the past few years." Relying on some hot outside shooting, Iowa State took charge in the second half, and then held on as the top-seeded Jayhawks (24-9) tried to make a late run to get back into the game. Perry Ellis led Kansas with 30 points. Andrew Wiggins finished with 22. The Jayhawks again were playing without 7-footer Joel Embiid, the leagues defensive player of the year, and his rim-protecting presence was sorely missed. The freshman has a stress fracture in his back and is likely out until at least the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. "Joel not being in there, he could probably guard Niang better," Kansas coach Bill Self said, "but I think it was more a collection of everybody rather than just one individual." The Sprint Center was packed to the rafters with fans eager to see whether Iowa State could finally end its five-game losing streak against the Jayhawks, or whether Kansas could burnish what it hoped would be a resume worthy of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The teams got after it right from the tip, racing up and down the floor in what amounted to a series of 94-foot wind sprints. Iowa State got the better of it early, forging a 23-16 lead, but the Jayhawks countered with a brutally efficient 20-3 charge to take control. Things got so intense that the normally placid Hoiberg was rung up with a technical foul after Kane appeared to be hammered on the way to the basket and no foul was called. "I used a bad word," Hoiberg said sheepishly. "Im not going to say I didnt." The Jayhawks lead was also short-lived. Kane started the comeback by converting a three-point play, Ejim and Niang went to work inside, and the Cyclones tied it 46-all in the closing minutes of the first half when Kane knocked down another shot from the corner. Their hot perimeter shooting continued in the second half, when the Cyclones turned a 48-46 deficit into a 66-57 lead, the last points in the run on a deep ball from Naz Long. By that point, Iowa State was 11 of 16 from the 3-point line. "We were on our heels defensively throughout the game," Ellis said. "I felt in the first half we did a lot better. In the second half, we let too many straight-line drives to the basket." The Jayhawks eventually extended their defence to the perimeter, and thats when Iowa State started going to the basket again. Niang scored four straight baskets for Iowa State during one stretch that made it 81-72, and scored on three straight trips to make it 86-74. The lead never got much smaller, even after Niang was whacked in the face during a scrum under the basket, prompting him to start the party for the Iowa State fans in attendance. "We felt like we had these guys in the second half," Niang said. "We came out and threw the first punch and from there it was clear skies." Trey Burton Bears Jersey . "I have had no discussions with Chad Johnson or his representation," Popp said Friday in an email. However, he appeared to confirm a report on Twitter from TSN this week that Johnson was on Montreals negotiation list. Allen Robinson Jersey . LOUIS -- Julius Randle had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Aaron Harrison finished with 18 points and No. http://www.authenticfootballshopbears.co...ith-jersey.aspx. -- The Denver Broncos locked up a shutdown cornerback, only his name wasnt Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Trey Burton Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. Aaron Lynch Bears Jersey . Beckham finished 2 for 4, adding a double in the first inning. Chicago has won eight of 12 to get back to .500 (27-27). The White Sox are 6-3 against Cleveland this season after losing 17 of 19 to their American League Central rival in 2013. Mike Aviles went 1 for 2 with a walk and drove in Clevelands run.The last time a Scotsman made headline news like this was back in 1776. That time, Adam Smith and something about an Invisible Hand ruled the waves. This time around, its Sir Alex Ferguson and his phantom presence in the Manchester United dressing room. With the mid-May words of the wise, old sage still reverberating around Old Trafford from the speech he gave following his final game in charge, he urged the crowd to give the new manager time to bed in. Never one to do things in half measures, Ferguson was also likely sending a warning to the media. If the Barclays Premier League holders get off to the slow start, they should back off Moyes and instead reflect on how many seasons it took Ferguson spent to deliver his first piece of silverware to his new club. That pot-less run for Ferguson extended from fall 1986 to spring 1990, when in May of that year, Manchester United beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final. Even with Ferguson still at the helm, United could not have hoped, wished or expected to replicate the form and results of last season. One in which they seemed to collect points from a losing position for fun. When Ferguson informed David Moyes and then the world that the ex-Everton man would be the next United manager, I immediately put my money where my big mouth was and said it would start - and end - in tears. Moyes has started, as I mean him to go on. By that, I didnt think for a moment that by inheriting Sir Alexs comfy office chair, he would also mimic the champ. What was young David thinking when banging on in the close season about BPL conspiracy theories and his perceived unkind fixture list? Makes you think that Fergie left not a bottle of fine red wine for Moyes in the top drawer, but a memo on official club letterhead from seasons past. Reverting back to the father of the free market (Adam Smith and economic need for mathematical correlation), Manchester Uniteds calamitous performances and results through 15 matches are almost in keeping with Moyes repetitive faux-pas self. Keep a lid on it, David. Instead, replay all of Lord Fergs pre-match pressers over the past quarter of a century. I bet you can count - on one slippery hand - the amount of times Ferguson used the word hopefully when referring to a desperate and urgent need to improve league form or top a champions league group. Moyes used the word twice in two straight sentences when setting up Tuesdays Matchday 6 encounter at Old Trafford. Jeepers creepers, hopefully the fresh-faced 50-year-old didnt use it again when setting up Sunday lunchtimes encounter at Villa Park. Roy Keane sticking his paddle in (it used to be a magnificent MUFC oar) during the week is right up there with Kevin Keegan losing the Fergie plot. A live 90-second TV rant which has now entered the BPL folklore annals, until King Kev opened his gob, it seemed certain Newcastle would win the title back in 1996. And guess who won it? The seeds of Moyes fall can be traceed back to late February of this year, when MUFC CEO David Gill popped round Fergusons house one Sunday afternoon to advise the Knight he would be leaving OT at seasons end.dddddddddddd Ferguson admitted that he attempted to convince Gill to stay. And one of footballs most decorated and highly-respected administrators was having none of it. Proving empirically who ruled the MUFC roost, Gill politely turned Fergusons overtures. In this column back in February I outlined Gills vast importance and significance to the Manchester United cause. Manchester United losing their manager and CEO in the same breath is unheard of. Perhaps Fergie mistakenly left Gills direct line office number for Moyes in that top drawer. This can be the only rational explanation for Uniteds pre-season form in the transfer market. Even Will Ferrell couldnt have invented a funnier screenplay. Danny Devito destined to be the leader of them, three less-than-wise Spanish men who are alleged to have shown up at the Madrid based LFP offices to conclude the Ander Herrera deal. The man who replaced Gill - Ed Woodward - was so off-MUFC script funny, no one could deny him opportunity to portray himself. Theres no denying that just like when a global musical icon passes away do we get to fully understand their true legacy and place in history. That said, there has to be a significant, indirect correlation with Fergusons retirement and the immediate rebuilding of Liverpool and Arsenals perches this season. Arsene Wenger and Brendan Rodgers teams are playing with a greater freedom. A breath of football fresh air surrounds the Emirates and Anfield so far this season. No other clubs have played so expressively and enthusiastically; little Luis getting his MUFC laughs on. Simultaneously, a rather dark shadow pervades at Old Trafford. Stretching down from middle tier of the grandstand enveloping the directors box as it goes, its core matter runs right through the United bench to the edge of the technical area. Poor Moyes has got his back to it. Fergsuon could be at his French chateau, but the giant of a football mans shadow remains. As does the coaching calamity that followed at Old Trafford after Sir Matt Busby resigned. We all know from our MUFC history books that Sir Matt felt a deep obligation to return - and did. Only time will be the determinant if Sir Alex does likewise. Not rational, he does. But I ask you this - what has been rational down Old Trafford way since May 12, 2011? In the meantime, I suggested back in November of 2011 that Sir Alex should be installed as MLS Honorary President. The elderly Scottish statesman is a huge believer and genuinely believes North America is footballs final frontier. Anyone got the commissioners phone number? You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca@TheSoccerNoel Aston Villa vs. Manchester United – live on TSN2, Sunday morning kick-off at 8:30am et/5:30am pt. Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '