LeBron James was overcome with unbridled joy last June as the trophy landed in his hands for the first time. Eyes widened, agape, James had the look of a father greeting his first-born child in the delivery room. The genuine reactions of the greats who had to endure long waits before the weight of expectations were finally lifted have been captured on commemorative DVDs and YouTube videos. But the responses by those players in subsequent years are how legendary careers are defined. “Do I feel different? I’m a champion. I feel like that,” James said recently. “But I still have goals. I accomplished one of my goals. It’s the biggest goal I had. Now I’ve got to set out for more.” After hearing for years that a scorer could never lead his team to a title, Jordan won his first ring at age 28, won the next two years, retired, came back and won another three. Before claiming his first ring at age 28, O’Neal heard repeatedly that he wasn’t dedicated enough to his craft to ever win but followed up by winning the next two years and adding one more title before his career was over. Now that he has risen to the top at age 27, discovered and embraced his own strength, James no longer has to answer the question, “When will he?” Though people will now wonder, “How many?” James is one of eight players in NBA history to win at least three most valuable player awards. Moses Malone is the only member of that elite fraternity to retire with just one championship.Real Jordans For Sale Wilt Chamberlain won two, and the other five finished their careers with at least three. “I know the history of the game and I know what’s been accomplished in this league throughout the years, but I’m my own man and I have to make my own mark,” James said during his media day news conference. “As far as legacy, I don’t think about that at this point. I still have a lot of basketball to play.” With James finally unburdened, the NBA could be bracing for another era of dominance, in which a generational talent has cleared a major hurdle and gone from an empty well to a deluge. “I would love for it to be that way,” Dwyane Wade said with a huge smile in the locker room after an exhibition loss to Washington in Kansas City, Mo. “But we’ll see. This is a very competitive league. You’ve got other teams that’s very hungry.” Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are eager to complete their annual ascension after losing in the Finals to James and the Heat in five games. The Los Angeles Lakers added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol as they close in on catching Boston for the most titles by any franchise — and Bryant continues his pursuit of Jordan’s six titles. Boston, which lost Ray Allen to the Heat, reloaded with more talent and depth after losing the Eastern Conference finals to Miami in seven games.

 

Mays was injured while blocking for punt returner Trindon Holliday in the fourth quarter Sunday night when a Saints player inadvertently leg-whipped him, and he had to be helped off the field. Mays has had a rough season since signing a three-year, $12 million deal in the offseason. He was suspended for a game and docked $50,000 for an illegal hit on Houston QB Matt Schaub and lost his starting middle linebacker job two weeks ago to veteran Keith Brooking. That relegated Mays, who was making $4.5 million this season, to special teams duty. The Broncos could promote Mike Mohamed from their practice squad to take Mays’ roster spot. They’ll also get D.J. Williams back from his second suspension in a couple of weeks.jordans shoes for sale The team’s leading tackler in four of the last five seasons, Williams is serving an NFL-mandated three-game ban over his August conviction for driving while ability impaired. This is on top of the six-game suspension he completed for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He’s eligible to return for the Broncos’ game Nov. 18 against San Diego. ___ Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Besta Beal joined her son at the tattoo parlor when he got his first ink at age 15, and he needed her permission, because otherwise, “she would’ve killed me,” Bradley said with a laugh. Beal provided all of the artwork on his arms — including praying hands with his favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, on his left arm — but he doesn’t draw much anymore. His hands are now reserved for that beautiful, textbook release on his jump shot, which convinced the Washington Wizards to draft him third overall last June. And as he prepares to make his NBA debut Tuesday in Cleveland, Beal will continue to flaunt a constant reminder of the support system that got him there — and keeps the St. Louis native grounded at age 19. “I’ve always thanked them for everything they’ve done,” said Beal, the middle of five brothers. “Because I know a lot of kids don’t have their family, or don’t have one of their parents or don’t have the siblings that I have. But I knew without them, or without them pushing me and without God, of course, I wouldn’t even be here.” Besta taught Bradley how to shoot and made him stop playing football (his first love)jordans on sale as a high school sophomore and focus on the sport that could take him further. Bobby told him to never show his frustrations on the court and to maintain the same demeanor whether he was playing well or poorly. Brandon, a former tight end and shooting guard at Northern Illinois, and Bruce, a former offensive lineman at Alabama State, roughed him up at the neighborhood YMCA basketball court with hard fouls to make him physically and mentally tougher. And twins, Byron and Bryon — both nimble, 300-pound-plus offensive linemen at Bradley’s former high school, Chaminade Prep — forced him to become more crafty during some competitive two-on-one basketball games. Bruce, 24, was the first to notice the basketball potential when his little brother was in sixth grade. Beal hit eight three-pointers in the first half of a game, and Bruce said he would be in the league one day. “Everybody thought I was crazy,” Bruce Beal said. “I was like, ‘just wait.’ ” ‘On the right path’ Beal made sure they didn’t have to wait long, declaring for the NBA after just one season at Florida. A pre-med major, Beal said he thought he would be in college for four years, but decided to adjust those plans when it became clear the league would call sooner. Those close to Beal marvel at how responsible and mature he is for someone who won’t turn 20 until next June. Though he is slated to earn $4.13 million this season and is close to signing a multiyear deal with Nike, Beal chose an apartment in Arlington rather than the District to keep down his expenses.

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Paris, France – French favorite Julien Benneteau was among Monday's first-round winners at the $3.15 million BNP Paribas Masters, the final Masters 1000 tournament of the year.

Benneteau got past Serb Viktor Troicki 6-4, 7-5 on the indoor hardcourts at Bercy's Palais Omnisports.

Meanwhile, Albert Ramos doused fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, South African slugger Kevin Anderson whipped Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 6-2, 6-1, and Italian Andreas Seppi got past Slovak Martin Klizan 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).

Additional opening-round wins came for Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz, Argentine Carlos Berlocq, Spaniard Marcel Granollers, and Colombian qualifier Alejandro Falla.

This week's top seeds are No. 2 seed and 2009 champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. The original top seed was Roger Federer,jordans shoes for cheap who pulled out of the event on Sunday after losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the final at the Swiss Indoors Basel. Del Potro is seeded seventh this week.

Federer defeated 2008 titlist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in last year's Paris Masters finale.

The newest champion here will pocket $620,000.

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And that’s where his story took off.

Webb, now a senior at Utah State, scored his first career touchdown in Saturday’s 48-17 win over Texas San-Antonio. He arrived in Logan as a walk-on. He’s currently on scholarship. Before the season began, he was third on the depth chart. Now, he’s an integral part of Utah State’s receiver rotation.

"Bottom line, Cam is a great story," Aggie coach Gary Andersen said. "He’s someone who has worked extremely hard to get to where he is. He’s a tremendous success story, to be from Cache Valley. He’s created his own opportunity, and he’s made the most of it."

Andersen allowed Webb to walk on sight unseen in 2010, figuring his enthusiasm to be an Aggie and his local status would add intrigue to his growing program. As a junior, Webb saw action in seven games, exclusively on special teams, and didn’t make a catch.

What not many outside of the program knew was that Webb saw an opportunity to carve out a role for himself. Utah State was in desperate need for a slot receiver.Real Jordans on sale Kerwynn Williams held the position for a long time, but he was moving to running back as a starter. Eric Moats and Stanley Morrison both graduated. The staff loved JoJo Natson, but he was just a freshman.

"It was just a matter of me working hard and competing for a spot," Webb said. "There was an opportunity there."

Webb improved his speed. He got stronger, and his route running improved. He became one of the standouts of fall camp, and was awarded a scholarship two weeks before the season began.

He’s made Andersen’s belief in him pay off. Webb has 19 receptions for 207 yards this season. More importantly, he’s Utah State’s primary punt returner, bringing stability to a position that’s historically been a big problem for the Aggies.

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The Lakers, meanwhile, were in danger of replacing the Clippers as the "other" team in L.A.

They finished nine games behind San Antonio in the Western Conference and — holy Michael Olowokandi — one game ahead of the team long known as the Paper Clips.

In the playoffs, the Lakers’ situation got worse.

They needed seven games to beat Denver in the first round and lasted only five games against Oklahoma City in the second round.

It was the second straight year Kobe & Co. didn’t come close to reaching the conference finals.

Suddenly, the Lakers looked like the Bakersfield Jam. jordans on saleThey were in danger of falling so far behind Miami (and others) in the NBA pecking order that some wondered whether L.A. — with all its money and all its free-agent recruiting advantages — could keep pace.

Fast-forward to today.

With the start of the 2012-13 season only hours away, the Lakers are just fine, thank-you, after a face-lift that would make any aging Hollywood movie star proud. In rapid-fire succession, the Lakers added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to their roster.

NEW YORK (AP)

PAIN TRAINInjuries are a part of football, but these players have been hit particularly hard.

The NFL has fined the Baltimore Ravens $20,000 for not listing safety Ed Reed on the team's injury report with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, a violation of the league's procedures for reporting injury information.

Reed publicly acknowledged the injury on Oct. 17, before the Ravens' game against Houston, and said it could be affecting his play. The Pro Bowl safety fully participated ike Air Max sale  in practices and games after the injury occurred, but the league said he should have been listed on the injury report with a shoulder injury and fully participating in practice.

The NFL's policy on injury reports states that players ''with significant or noteworthy injuries must be listed on the report, even if the player takes all the reps in practice.''

Washington and Buffalo were fined for similar infractions last week.

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