Lob und Kritik » had a strong comeback here with two wins." Wei

CHANDLER, Ariz. - The New England Patriots came out swinging upon their arrival at the Super Bowl.Not star quarterback Tom Brady or All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. Not coach Bill Belichick, either.Robert Kraft.The team owner on Monday night demanded an apology from the league once the Patriots are found to be not guilty of breaking any rules regarding using under-inflated footballs in the AFC championship game.A conclusion Kraft is certain will occur.In an unscheduled statement, Kraft strongly defended his teams actions and integrity, growing more fiery with each sentence.I want to make it clear that I believe, unconditionally, that the New England Patriots have done nothing inappropriate in this process or in violation of NFL rules, Kraft said at the teams first media availability in Arizona.If the (Ted) Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope the league would apologize to our entire team, and in particular to coach (Bill) Belichick and Tom Brady, for what theyve had to endure this week.NFL Executive Vice-President Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss are leading the probe. Wells was the investigator in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal and has said the current investigation could last a while.Kraft welcomes a thorough search.Im disappointed in the way this entire matter has been handled and reported upon, Kraft said, pointing directly to reports citing anonymous sources. We expect hard facts rather than circumstantial leaked evidence to drive the conclusion of this investigation.The NFL has said evidence shows the Patriots used underinflated footballs during the first half of the AFC title game victory over Indianapolis. The league is still determining why the balls were underinflated.I am confident that this investigation will uncover whatever the facts were that took place last Sunday and the science of how game balls react to changes in the environment, Kraft added. This would be in direct contrast to the public discourse, which has been driven by media leaks as opposed to actual data and facts. Because of this, many jumped to conclusions and made scarring accusations against our coach, quarterback and staff questioning the integrity of all involved.Belichick and Brady followed Kraft to the podium, but basically left any comments on the investigation to their boss.When asked if he was upset by the accusations and jokes of which he was the subject, Brady said: Ive moved past those initial feelings and I want to move forward.But moving away from the deflated footballs theme will be particularly difficult on media day, when just about any question has been fair game in the past.So Kraft came out swinging before then with a speech tinged with emotion — and fire.Tom, Bill and I have been together for 15 years. They are my guys, said Kraft, who has three Super Bowl titles and three other trips to the big game since 2001.They are part of my family. Bill, Tom and I have had many difficult discussions over the years. Ive never known them to lie to me. Thats why Im confident in saying what I just said.It bothers me greatly their reputations and integrity — and by association that of our team — has been called into question this week.This hardly is the first time the Patriots have been under such scrutiny. Most famously was 2007, their undefeated regular season. Revelations that New England videotaped New York Jets coaches signals during a game cost Belichick a $500,000 fine, and the team was fined $250,000 and stripped of its 2008 first-round draft choice by the NFL.During this years playoffs, Ravens coach John Harbaugh accused the Patriots of being deceitful with some alignments on offence. The NFL exonerated Krafts team of any wrongdoing.Now, Kraft has taken the offensive.I, and our entire organization, he said, believe strongly in the integrity of the game and the rules of fair play are properly, equitably and fairly enforced.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Joe Montana Jersey . 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According to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs dealt minor league outfield Trevor Gretzky to the Angels for catcher Matt Scioscia.LAKE LOUISE, Alta. -- A woman can sweep the World Cup ski races at Lake Louise, Alta., yet again, but its not Lindsey Vonn on the cusp of a hat trick this time. Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany won her second downhill in as many days with Saturdays victory at the Alberta resort. The 29-year-old from Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a contender to win Sundays super-G, although downhill is more her strength. "Im not as strong in super-G as I am in downhill, but the two races gave me lots of confidence," Hoefl-Riesch said. Vonn won all three races at Lake Louise in 2011 and 2012 and owns a record 14 victories at the venue. The U.S. ski star finished 11th Saturday, but felt she took a step forward from Fridays downhill when she finished 40th. Prior to her arrival, Vonn hadnt raced since crashing and suffering a severe right knee injury at the world championship in February. "I was more aggressive and just more confident and comfortable," the Olympic womens downhill champion said. "My whole body language was different. I still made mistakes and it wasnt my best skiing, but its a long ways from where I was yesterday." Hoefl-Rieschs time of one minute 55.09 seconds was over a second faster than in her first win. Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was second in 1:55.43 and Austrias Anna Fenninger third in 1:55.56. Larisa Yurkiw of Owen Sound, Ont., was 26th after a career-best seventh in the first downhill Friday. "I think because I had such a rocking day yesterday, I was almost a little bit depleted," Yurkiw said. "I wanted it pretty bad and I had intensity in places I didnt necessarily need it. "Anyone would want to repeat a performance like yesterday in front of a home crowd. Im still really pleased with the way the momentum is going." Conditions were clear and sunny, but bitterly cold for a second straight day with a temperature of minus-28. FIS, the world governing body of skiing, doesnt set a minimum temperature for races. The decision rests with the race jury made up of the a FIS delegate, race referee and assistant referee and chief of race. The women wore masks or covered exposed parts of their faces with brightly coloured tape to protect themselves from frostbite as they rocketed down the mountain. Five of Hoefl-Rieschs 26 career wins have come at Lake Louise. She took both downhills in 2010 with Vonn finishinng second.dddddddddddd But Vonn beat Hoefl-Riesch in the super-G that year to kick off a run of seven straight wins. The women dont get training runs for super-G, which is shorter than downhill but has more turns. They get a single course inspection the morning of the race. "I will try to inspect very well and I hope my coaches will tell me a really good line," Hoefl-Riesch said. "Super-G is always a big challenge to be fast because sometimes you cant really know how fast you get to the rolls and turns. "Thats the art of super-G, to make a very good first run and I will try this tomorrow." The six-foot-two German felt short on speed training heading into the World Cup season. She concentrated more on slalom and giant slalom in preparation for World Cups in Soelden, Austria and Levi, Finland. Hoefl-Riesch is the reigning Olympic champion in slalom. She finished seventh in downhill and eighth in super-G in Beaver Creek, Colo., last week. "With less downhill and super-G training, I was having some troubles there," Hoefl-Riesch said. "Thats why I love Lake Louise. I think its a perfect downhill to begin the season especially when you dont have the chance for so much training. "Im really happy I had a strong comeback here with two wins." Weirather was disqualified from fifth place Friday for wearing a plastic arm protector on the outside of her suit, instead of on the inside. "I had a really bad day yesterday," Weirather said. "I was skiing well and then I got disqualified so I had some anger in myself. I tried to take it into the start house and put it into my skiing today and it worked really well." Vonn tore two ligaments in her knee and broke a bone in her lower leg at the world championships. Her comeback was on track until she partially tore a reconstructed ligament while training in Colorado last month. The 29-year-old needs surgery again, but wants to postpone it until after the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Lake Louise is a first test of how a knee that is not completely healthy will stand up to racing this winter. Vonn wasnt sure how many World Cups shell compete in this season. "My focus is Sochi and however I can come into the those Olympics the most prepared is what Im going to do," Vonn said. "Im trying to save my knee as best I can." ' ' '