NEWS » hink it just points out how close we are

Wasps playmaker Jimmy Gopperth has signed a new deal with the Aviva Premiership club.?Gopperth, who has scored three tries already this season, has been running out at inside centre for Wasps but is traditionally found at fly-half.?He has captained the side on a number of occasions and has decided to prolong his stay with Wasps.?The way the clubs going and the direction were moving in as a squad, the quality of players and coaching staff we have, its just a great fit, Gopperth, 33, said. Ive really enjoyed myself the last couple of years, especially this year, and Im loving my rugby playing alongside a great bunch of guys, so why not continue it?I believe theres a lot still to come from this squad. Weve been learning our ways and making good progress, but I feel theres more to come.We obviously have a few more people to come in which will help our cause, but were just looking to improve every single week. Were on the right track but weve still got plenty to learn.Stitched Giants Jerseys . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. San Francisco Giants Pro Shop . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/ . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Giants Jerseys China . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. San Francisco Giants Shirts . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off.CHASKA, Minn. -- Officially, the first United States Ryder Cup victory in 2,933 days was clinched at exactly 4:09 p.m. CT when Ryan Moore lagged a birdie putt on the final green at Hazeltine National Golf Club and was quickly approached by his opponent, Lee Westwood, hat already in hand.A more thrilling conclusion might have been Patrick Reed, the man they call Captain America, romping and stomping his way to the deciding point, or Phil Mickelson, the clear-cut team leader in his 11th career appearance, sealing it in dramatic fashion.There might not have been a more appropriate finish, though. As the 12th and final player named to the team less than one week before he clinched it for them, Moore represented the derivative of a two-year process that began with infighting and finger-pointing, then transitioned into task-forcing and delegating, and culminated with celebrating and champagne-spraying.In some ways, yes, Moore said of his winning point. That seems kind of fitting.Exactly two years and four days before the U.S. team giddily answered questions about what went right and why they were able to prevail Sunday, they sat in a similar room with a very different undertone. Not long after handily losing to Europe at Gleneagles, the postmatch media conference took a dark turn, as Mickelson publicly led the charge in criticizing then-captain Tom Watson for his leadership style.It might not have been the most elegant strategy, but Mickelson did influence immediate change in the balance of power.Within months, a task force was formed, consisting of former captains, veteran players, Rickie Fowler to represent the younger generation and PGA of America officials. That exact terminology quickly became the butt of many jokes, but it did serve a few necessary purposes.The task force identified Davis Love III as the best person to (again) captain the team. It set in place a natural succession of future captains who would ascend from the vice captaincy roles. And, most importantly, it let the captains and players become more invested in the team.Those were the positives. The negative? The task force also opened itself up to greater criticism if the plan backfired.Or as Mickelson explained in the afterglow of Sundays victory: The pressure started when some dumb ass opened his mouth two years ago in the media center.There is no now-or-never at the Ryder Cup. Theres no such thing as a must-win.What existed, though, was the risk that the U.S. team had placed itself in a predicament in which it was more rripe for disappointment -- or, even worse, that the event would lack any true competition, with the same team winning every other year.dddddddddddd.Some changes, such as the decision to bring back Love, who had captained the team to a heartbreaking loss at Medinah in 2012, had a gradual impact. Others, like the newly enforced rule to save a final pick for just before this week, offered a direct effect.The players were in a room, helping build something for this week; it wasnt just going to be something thrown together, Fowler said. This all started a year and a half ago. We set ourselves up to succeed this week. By no means did that mean we were going to come here and win. It just put us in the best position for the players to play well and the captains and vice captains to do their jobs.If the second U.S. triumph since the turn of the century started with Mickelson calling for change two years ago and ended with Moore being conceded his match, there were plenty of other factors at play.From Tiger Woods taking a serious role as vice captain alongside Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Tom Lehman and Bubba Watson (in effect, forming a cabinet for Love), to the recent passing of Arnold Palmer, whose likeness adorned the walls of their team room and served as constant inspiration, there were so many little bits and pieces that helped form the nucleus of this victory.Theres so many things that happened this week that if youd written the story and the movie, you wouldnt believe the ending, said Love, who clearly had the respect of every team member. I think it just points out how close we are and what a great team we are that the guy that came in at the last minute is the one that walks away with the last putt.As for Mickelson, he was thrilled with the win, but confident it wont end with this week.The thing about this is that we need to build on this, otherwise, its all for naught, he said. We created a very solid foundation this year. ... Its important that we build on that.As soon as Moore clinched the victory Sunday afternoon, it started a chain reaction of chanting fans and crying captains and hugging teammates, all soon being drenched in champagne.It had been 2,933 days since the U.S. team felt that sensation. With a plan now in place and the balance of power shifted to the players, they are determined to ensure it wont be that long before they are celebrating again. ' ' '