Bannlog » mode as soon as it hit

NEW YORK - In the summer of 2006 John Salmons nixed a sign-and-trade deal that would have made him a Raptor heading into the prime of his career. Ronnie Lott Youth Jersey . He was 26 years old at the time and coming off his best season in Philadelphia. But his faith had led him in a different direction, it led him to Sacramento. Over seven years later, his career has come around full circle. He starred for playoff teams in Chicago and Milwaukee, ended up back with the Kings and now, fate - in the form of a seven-player swap - has finally steered him to Toronto. The 34-year-old swingman was supposed to be a spare part in the salary dump of Rudy Gay, a contract that could be bought out at an affordable price in the offseason or moved at the deadline. He still may end up being those things but two weeks into his ironic tenure in Toronto, he has brought something no one expected him to, something the Raptors have been without for years. As head coach Dwane Casey has put it, Salmons brings "old-school toughness." "He has a settling effect when hes in the game and it helps us," Casey said of Salmons, who is averaging 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds, playing just under 26 minutes per game in six contests with the Raptors. "He doesnt get rattled." A versatile defender, Salmons has been used to frustrate the opponents best wing player, most notably Monta Ellis and Kevin Durant in a pair of surprising road victories last week. Hes been one of the first players off Caseys bench, a facilitator in the offence down the stretch but most importantly, hes been a calming presence in the face of adversity and thats rubbing off on his new teammates. After engineering a 19-point comeback in Dallas and withstanding a run from the leagues best team in Oklahoma City, the team pointed to Salmons and his understated brand of leadership. "Im not a rah-rah guy at all," the even-keeled Salmons admitted after Sundays win over the Thunder. "But Ive been around for a long time, Ive experienced a lot so I just try to give my advice when I can." "Being in the league as long as Ive been Ive seen a lot of things and I just try to show poise on the court and lead like that." If you didnt know any better you could easily mistake Salmons unflappable persona for indifference but that, as his new coach has learned, is not the case. "Hes very quiet, [a] quiet leader," Casey said. "He does more [with] his actions than his words but hes a solid man. You engage him in conversation and he has a lot to say. People take that quietness for, whatever but he has a lot to say once you sit down and talk with him. "I like his demeanour. I like his approach. Hes an old-school pro." Its been some time since the Raptors have rostered a vet able and willing to make that type of impact on the teams younger players. You may have to go all the way back to the days of Charles Oakley, Kevin Willis, Doug Christie and the veteran-laden teams that helped turn Vince Carter into an overnight superstar. "I remember walking in [on] day two," Carter reminisced before facing the Raptors in Dallas last week. "And Oak grabbed me by the shoulder and said, hey, Im going to take care of you and show you how to be a professional and be a pro in this league. "And I think of those days and I think of coming to practice when they used to kick the ball in the stands and what do you say? Nothing, youve just got to go get it. You learn a lot from that." Salmons is not Oakley - few are - but his experience and know-how could go a long way in the continued development of sophomores Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas. Then theres DeMar DeRozan, another willing student who, in his fifth NBA season has been forced to learn on the fly without the benefit of a mentor. Veteran players have come and gone - DeRozan credited Reggie Evans and Jarrett Jack - but the roster has mostly been in flux since the 24-year-old was drafted. No one has been around long enough to truly take DeRozan under their wing. Salmons may not be a long-term fixture either, but for now DeRozan is taking in what he can. "Hes played in the playoffs, hes been a leader a long time, played with a lot of great guys," DeRozan said of his new teammates. "He knows how to play the game. "Were definitely paying attention to it, Im even paying more attention to it. I always look at it like, I could always learn more and thats what were doing." Salmons is due to make $7 million next season but the Raptors will only owe him $1 million should they waive him prior to June 30. For that reason, he could become a valuable trade chip and thanks to Masai Ujiris timely acquisition of the four Kings players, he can be repackaged before the February deadline. His time in Toronto may end up being short-lived but even as a temporary player, he could have a long-lasting impact on the future of the Raptors franchise. Clelin Ferrell Womens Jersey .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Ted Hendricks Youth Jersey . Like a magic trick, the puck popped out behind Stalock in the San Jose net. While Sharks coach Todd McLellan decried the legality of the tiebreaking goal, the Los Angeles Kings celebrated their latest, greatest escape yet. http://www.footballraidersmall.com/Youth-Foster-Moreau-Elite-Jersey/ . - The RBC Canadian Open will return to Glen Abbey Golf Club next year, marking the 27th time that the national open championship will be played at the Oakville, Ont.NEW YORK -- David Phelps put his pitches in all the right places against a struggling team that was stuck in the wrong spot. Phelps threw seven strong innings, Carlos Beltran drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat Toronto 6-4 Thursday night for their 16th consecutive home win over the Blue Jays. "Everything was a little bit crisper today," Phelps said. "I was able to be aggressive the entire game." Jacoby Ellsbury stole two bases, scored twice and hit one of three early sacrifice flies for the Yankees off Drew Hutchison. New York swiped four bags in all and scratched out its fifth run when Brett Gardner was going as Derek Jeter hit an RBI groundout -- preventing an inning-ending double play. Phelps (3-4) yielded two runs and struck out seven in winning his second straight outing after a four-start skid. The Yankees earned their first three-game sweep at home this season and sliced Torontos lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games. "Big series for us," reliever Adam Warren said after New York won for the seventh time in nine games. "Its nice to kind of see our team click a little bit and play some good baseball." Citing research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees said the winning streak against Toronto is their longest at home against one team since a 19-game run vs. Cleveland from June 1960 to April 1962. Melky Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion each hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who have lost nine of 12 and were swept for the first time since Sept. 10-12 last season by the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto has dropped 25 of 27 at Yankee Stadium dating to 2011 and hasnt won in the Bronx since Aug. 29, 2012. "Hey, if youre going to play in prime time, youve got to perform on the big stage and we didnt do it," manager John Gibbons said. "Were fully capable of doing it. We just didnt do it. Itll be definitely good to move on." With closer David Robertson receiving a rest, Warren got two outs for his second save -- ending a rhythm-less game that took 3 hours, 47 minutes. Gibbons was on the field five times in the first six innings for four discussions with the umpires, plus a pitching change. Phelps equaled his career high with 115 pitches and finished strong. He retired pinch-hitter Adam Lind with two on to end the sixth and then struck out two in a perfect seventh. "We really pushed him tonight," manager Joe Girardi said. "He did a great job." The right-handerr was fired up, too, clenching his fist and yelling after freezing Jose Reyes for strike three with his final delivery. Isaiah Johnson Jersey. Phelps made a key defensive play to protect a one-run lead in the fifth. He got Reyes on a soft grounder with the infield in, pinning a runner at third, and then knocked down Cabreras two-out comebacker. Phelps whirled around and scrambled to find the ball near the front of the mound, then zipped a throw to first just in time. "I knew that it went down. I knew it wasnt going to be far away, I just had to get my eyes on it," Phelps said. "Straight scramble mode as soon as it hit me." Cabrera tripped awkwardly over the bag and tumbled hard to the turf, but appeared to be fine. Phelps also picked off Cabrera at second base with two runners on in the first inning and Encarnacion at the plate. Phelps and Girardi both called it the biggest play of the game. "The way our teams been playing right now, its exciting baseball," Phelps said. Encarnacion hit his 21st homer in the eighth, a long drive to left off Shawn Kelley that cut it to 6-4. Yankees hitters ran up Hutchisons pitch count early, just as they did against fellow youngster Marcus Stroman in the series opener. Kelly Johnson had a sacrifice fly in the second and Beltran added one in the third. Making his Yankee Stadium debut, Hutchison (5-5) threw 38 pitches in the second inning and needed 76 to get through three. He was pulled in the fifth trailing 3-2. "Youve got to make better pitches," Hutchison said. "When I got ahead I didnt make good pitches to put them away, and I fell behind quite a bit, too." Beltran hit an RBI double off Aaron Loup, and Brian Roberts stole two bases in the sixth before scoring on Jeters groundout. Steve Delabar walked three in the seventh, including Yangervis Solarte with the bases loaded to make it 6-2. NOTES: Toronto has seven more games scheduled at Yankee Stadium this year. The Blue Jays return on July 25. ... Lind had been sidelined since leaving Saturdays game in Baltimore with a bruised right foot. ... Lights-out Yankees reliever Dellin Betances was unavailable after pitching three scoreless innings in the first two games of the series, Girardi said. ... Johnson was shaken up and removed after the ball hit his left hand when he fouled off a bunt in the sixth. Solarte pinch-hit with a full count and struck out. X-rays on Johnson were negative and he is day to day with bruised fingers. ' ' '