TORONTO - Between Canadian players making headlines in the NBA and the recent success of the Toronto Raptors, NBA legend Bill Walton said these are heady days for basketball in Canada. [url=http://www.cheapdolphinsjerseyssale.com/?tag=robert-quinn-jersey-sa le]Robert Quinn Jersey[/url] .Its truly rema

TORONTO - Between Canadian players making headlines in the NBA and the recent success of the Toronto Raptors, NBA legend Bill Walton said these are heady days for basketball in Canada. Robert Quinn Jersey .Its truly remarkable how far, in just 30 years, Canadian basketball has come, Walton said.The NBA MVP and basketball Hall of Famer was in Toronto on Thursday to help launch ticket sales for the Canadian university mens Final 8, which will be held at Ryerson University for the first time.What (the Raptors) have been able to do, sell-out crowds every night, currently in first place . . . But more importantly, what (the CIS championship) is all about is developing the homegrown talent in local programs, grassroots, getting the foundation going so everything will rise at the same time, Walton said.Walton addressed a large crowd of student athletes at Ryersons Mattamy Athletic Centre in an engaging presentation that lasted over 30 minutes. He spoke at length about two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, poking fun at the Victoria native while holding him up as an example of what hard work can do.To be a champion in life, like Steve Nash, it makes no difference how big you are if you cant play like a giant, Walton said. Of all the players that Ive had the privilege of watching, no single player has elicited more oohs and aahs than little Stevie, who . . . I was Steves size when I was born. Im faster today, and Im 62 years old, Ive had 37 orthopedic operations. Ive got a new knee, Ive got a new spine, and Im faster today than Steve ever was.The Ryerson Rams mens team, ranked No. 3 in the CIS, earns an automatic berth to the Final 8 tournament, March 12-15, as host. Roy Rana, who took over as Rams head coach six years ago, said hosting the tournament in Toronto has been a long time coming.Ive been a part of the fabric of the sport in this city for a long time, its never happened here, Rana said. When I took this job six years ago. . . I said You know what, I really believe that this university and this program was a jewel in the citys crown, and I wanted to put some shine on it.To be here six years later in this building, speaking about the national championship, about hosting a national championship is incredibly powerful, its an emotional moment for me. This season is going to be a very special season for our guys.Walton credited Canadas success story partly to the globalization of the NBA that former commissioner David Stern launched in the early 1990s. There are 13 Canadians on NBA rosters this season, behind to only the United States.There is no end of Canadian role models in the sport, Walton said.To have witnessed Steve Nash over the course of his brilliant career, I just love Steve and what hes been able to do as a shining star, as a beacon of hope, as a moral compass to us all, Walton said. As I was a young child many years ago, I had my heroes, and people are looking at Steve Nash, theyre looking at these current Raptor players, theyre looking these Ryerson Rams, at these (Canadian) coaches whove given everything for someone else. . .Walton was asked about Nash being forced to skip what would have been his 19th — and likely final — season in the NBA. Nash is sidelined with the nerve damage in his back that has plagued him for the past few seasons.Dont pronounce him dead. Because Steve is just getting started, Walton said. Ultimately Steve will be one of those rare people who will be better in his post-playing life and career than he ever was as a player.As a player, he was unparalleled, he was unmatched, he was just fantastic. Be happy for him, be proud of him, encourage him and support him and thank him for what hes done to make our world a better place on and off the court.Ryersons Mattamy Athletic Centre — the former Maple Leaf Gardens — will host the CIS tournament, and will also be the basketball venue for next summers Pan and Parapan American Games.Its a fitting venue as the building hosted the first Basketball Association of America game in 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers. The BAA merged with the National Basketball League in 1949 to form the NBA.Forty-seven schools from the four CIS conferences will compete for an eventual spot in the Final 8. T.J. McDonald Jersey . Sopoaga hit the upright with his first shot at goal from 15 metres. He then kicked nine goals in succession -- two conversions and seven penalties -- before being replaced in the 62nd minute, three points short of the Highlanders record for most points in a match. Raekwon McMillan Jersey .com) - Kam Chancellor bobbed his head in celebration as he crossed the goal line on his game-clinching 90-yard interception return. http://www.cheapdolphinsjerseyssale.com/?tag=nat-moore-jersey-sale . Yet heading to New York, the Habs remain positive as it all comes down to the one main ingredient that the organization has built its team on - character.PARIS -- Clubs wont be excluded from next seasons Champions League for breaking "Financial Fair Play" rules, according to UEFA President Michel Platini "There will be some tough things ... but if youre expecting blood and tears, youll be disappointed," Platini told French daily Le Parisien in an interview published Thursday. UEFA will announce the first sanctions in early-May, and more serious cases will be judged in June. A UEFA panel is currently negotiating settlements with clubs which have breached rules designed to curb huge investments by owners and excessive spending on transfers and wages since 2011. UEFA said in February it targeted 76 clubs which played in the Champions League or Europa League. Speculation centred on big spenders Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, which are owned by the ruling families of Qatar and Abu Dhabi, respectively. Platini said he was "not sure" if Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germains "innovative" sponsorship deal wwith Qatar Tourism Authority played by the rules. David Fales Jersey. . UEFA is concerned that clubs could try to balance their finances using inflated value deals with sponsors linked to club owners. Man Citys main sponsor is Abu Dhabi airline Etihad. "Lets say simply that the economic model of PSG is special and atypical," Platini said. "These are questions that the experts must decide." UEFA appointed former Belgium prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene to lead the panel investigating club accounts. Serious sanctions will be decided by a panel led by Jose Cunha Rodrigues of Portugal, a judge at the European Court of Justice. Expulsion from the Champions League and second-tier Europa League are the toughest penalty UEFA reserves. First and lesser offenders will likely face fines and sanctions such as limits on registering players for UEFA competitions. "I think that significant sanctions will affect the big clubs. We will go through with this," Platini said. Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Baseball Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys China Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap Custom Jerseys China Cheap Basketball Jerseys Authentic NFL Jerseys China Cheap College Jerseys Wholesale Football Jerseys ' ' '