estament to finishing out the year and doing it right, Ventura

AHMEDABAD, India -- He goes by the Twitter handle Browndogg-30x and hes a seasoned ex-pro in Australias homegrown brand of football, the son of one of the more infamous players from that game.Campbell Brown is making a mark on the Kabaddi World Cup in India, leading the Australian team despite his very recent recruitment to the traditional south Asian game.Its very unique, isnt it, the 33-year-old Brown said in an interview at the World Cup. I just think its such an exciting sport, from the playing perspective and from viewers as well.Its such a new sport to us. You see theres a few players in our team that have a professional football background, so we picked up the skill component of it pretty easily, but its just the rules and the things like (that) which are the hard part. It has been a steep learning curve for the team in the first two games, but I think we are getting better and better with each minute we spend on the court. Kabbadi is a contact sport that mixes tag and wrestling and developed over centuries on dusty courts in northern India. Its widely popular in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and usually played abroad by expats from those countries.Organizers are trying to increase the sports global appeal and have 12 national teams competing in the World Cup, including the United States, South Korea, Argentina, Poland, Kenya, Japan and Thailand. Pakistans team was a late withdrawal from the tournament.After three games, hot-favorite India was leading Group A from South Korea and England, having recovered from a shocking opening loss to the Koreans. Iran was in control of Group B with an unbeaten run. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals.The basic rules of kabaddi are simple, but the finer arts of the game have evolved over a long time. It is a game between two teams of seven players. The teams take turns to send a raider, or attacker, into the rival half of the field to gain points by trying to touch opponents, who then go out of the game. All the while, the raider chants the word `kabaddi until running out of breath.Players from the defending team try either to evade the touch or get into a grapple to stop the raider returning to his or her half.Brown, who followed in the footsteps of his rugged and controversial father, Mal Brown, and played in the top-flight competition in Australian Rules football, knows how tricky learning the rules of a unique, regional game can be.But hes still struggling to come to terms with the intricacies of Kabaddi.The saying `kabbadi the whole the time you raid, its quite funny, he said, admitting he forgot to do a few times in Australias opening loss to England. The referees were a bit kind on the Australian team and didnt penalize us for it but, when youve got seven players coming at you, raiding and you try to touch them sometimes you just forget to say `kabbadi -- thats probably the funny part of it.England captain Someshwar Kalia also has players whore learning on the go, and having to remember one of the keys is the yoga-like chanting.This is actually a very unique aspect of the sport, he said, adding that it can be difficult combing the physical nature of the game with the finer points. Thats the thing that threw a lot people off.For the South Koreans, its the close connection of the defending team -- a chain-like formation -- that seemed to be most unique part of the game.The most unusual thing for me was that we have to hold our hands while defending, South Korea captain Dong Ju Hong said during a recent training session. Two males holding hands was a little odd for me.After cricket, its one of the most popular sports in India, and the pressure is firmly on the home team at the sixth World Cup.It is very important to win this World Cup as its taking place in our country, and so far we have never lost, India player Deepak Hudda said. We wont settle it without the Cup. Its very important us to win for the prestige of the country.Air Max 97 Schweiz Billig . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Air Max 200 Schweiz . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. http://www.vapormaxkaufenschweiz.com/vapormax-herren-schweiz/vapormax-schwarz-outlet.html . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Vapormax Schweiz . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Vapormax Plus Herren Schweiz . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami.CHICAGO -- If Jose Quintana pitched his final game in a Chicago White Sox uniform on Thursday night, then he went out in style.Chris Archer overcame a shaky seventh inning to avoid becoming the majors first 20-game loser since 2003 and lead the Tampa Bay Rays past the White Sox, 5-3.Chicago (77-82) clinched its fourth consecutive losing season under manager Robin Ventura, whose future with the team is uncertain.Quintana turned in another workmanlike performance in his final start of the season, allowing two runs and five hits over six innings.Yeah, Im happy with my year. You know, I get more innings, better ERA, said Quintana, who finished with a 13-12 record, 3.20 ERA and his first All-Star Game selection. My preparation was better this year. More experience.Quintanas name has been mentioned often in trade speculation, as the rebuilding White Sox are expected to be active in the offseason.I dont have control about that, Quintina said. Im here with the Chicago White Sox and I want to be here a long time.The White Sox had their five-game winning streak end despite Carlos Sanchezs two-out, two-run homer in the seventh.(Quintana) has elevated himself into that elite status with a lot of guys in the league, Ventura said. Hes just consistent. (Despite) everything he has been through, a lack of run of support, he continues to go out with just the same attitude and humility and all that stuff that goes with it.Archer (9-19) allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings to help the Rays snap a six-game skid and leave Detroits Mike Maroth as the only pitcher to lose 20 games this century.Honestly, I never let those types of things creep into my mind, Archer said. Its pointless to think about negatives. Im just glad I dont have to answer the question. The team picked me up tonight.Mikie Mahtook hit a solo homer in the fourth off Quintana and doubled and scored in a three-run seventh off Chicagos shaky bullpen.Archer got the first two outs of the seventh, but a walk, Sanchezs homer and Leury Garcias double ended his night. With rain starting to fall, Brad Boxberger got Adam Eaton to ground out with the tying run on.Erasmo Ramirez worked the eighhth amid a steady rain before the umpires called for the tarp.dddddddddddd After a 35-minute delay, Alex Colome got the final three outs for his 36th save.Eatons groundout to lead off the sixth put Archer over 200 innings for the second consecutive season. But its been nothing like 2015, when Archer was an All-Star and fifth in the Cy Young Award voting.While Archer has pitched better in the second half of the season, hes gotten little support. Tampa Bay scored two or fewer runs in 15 of his 19 losses.Archers five strikeouts gave him 233, second in the AL behind Detroits Justin Verlander. He finished with eight consecutive quality starts and a 4.02 ERA.Alexei Ramirezs RBI single against his former team in the second ended Tampa Bays 41-inning streak of not holding a lead.Ramirez also singled and scored in the seventh as the Rays got to relievers Juan Minaya and Dan Jennings to build a 5-1 lead.SUNDAY SALEVentura had hinted that ace Chris Sales season was over after Tuesdays victory. That changed when the left-hander asked to start Sundays season finale against Minnesota.I think thats a good testament to finishing out the year and doing it right, Ventura said.20-LOSS CLUBMaroth went 9-21 for the 2003 Tigers, who finished 43-119. Before that, Oaklands Brian Kingman in 1980 was the last to lose 20.TRAINERS ROOMRays: In his second game back from a bruised hand, CF Kevin Kiermaier went 3 for 5 and made a running catch of Sanchezs drive with a runner on to end the game. Manager Kevin Cash before the game called Kiermaier the best defensive player in baseball and campaigned for a Gold Glove.White Sox: 2B Tyler Saladino (back) wont play again this season. Weve got to figure out a way to get him right before he heads home, Ventura said.UP NEXTRays: Three games at NL West champion Texas to close the season. RHP Matt Andriese (8-7, 4.34 ERA) faces Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (6-5, 3.53) on Friday night.White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon (8-10, 4.08) starts Friday night against last-place Minnesota and RHP Tyler Duffey (9-11, 6.18). ' ' '