When Kevin Martin decided to retire this year, he thought hed have plenty of company. The dean of Canadian curlers -- with four national titles, a world championship, both a gold and silver at the Olympics and a record 18 Grand Slams on the World Curling Tour -- looked around and saw plenty his age or older holding brooms. "I thought this year there would be a lot of guys retiring," Martin, 47, said Tuesday. "I thought I would just be one of the many. As it turns out, Im the only one. Theres nobody else, Im the only guy!" Instead of retiring, other senior skips have played a game of musical chairs as teams have reformed and players have moved about the country. And Martin says the desire to secure that all-important Olympic berth is the reason. "The shuffling I think is completely because of the Olympics and that curling has become a four-year sport," he said. Younger teams are looking at skips at or near 50-plus and wondering whether they have what it takes to compete, not just next season but also down the road. And those skips who have never won that Olympic berth (as Martin did three times, failing to earn a medal in 1992) are reluctant to give up while they think theres still a chance. Manitobas Jeff Stoughton, 50, who has parted ways with his former team and formed a new one and Ontarios Glenn Howard, 51, who has seen his squad fragment as well, are cases in point. "Its hard I think for young guys to be with a 50, 51, 52 or whatever age guy and think four years down the road," Martin said. "Thats not easy. "Jeff and Glenn still play brilliantly but will they in four years? I dont think they can answer that." The result has been a lot of movement. "Its really exciting. Its probably the most excitement Ive seen in our sport in a long time," said Martin. "I think the young guys that are coming up are dealing with it really well by doing all of these shakeups and trying to figure out how they can get the very, very best team." The latest move was Kevin Koes former Alberta team, which is the reigning national champion, picking up former B.C. skip John Morris on Tuesday to take them into key events next season, including a return trip to the Tim Hortons Brier. Its the first time the current mens champion will get an automatic ticket without having to win a provincial title. Two younger teams at the elite level remain intact: Olympic gold-medallist Brad Jacobs, 28, and his team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and Mike McEwen, 33, from Winnipeg. Former Olympic champ Brad Gushue, 33, from Newfoundland and Labrador has made only one move, returning former teammate Mark Nichols, who had been curling with Stoughton. After finishing out of the medals at the world championships, Koe, 39, announced a new team that includes Marc Kennedy at third, Ben Hebert at lead and Brent Laing at second. Kennedy and Hebert won Olympic gold with Martin and Laing was a two-time world champion with Howard. "Those are your top four I think going forward," said Martin of those four teams. After watching all the moves, though, does Martin have any second thoughts about his decision to quit the game? "I am so ready. To be honest with you, I think I was ready after Vancouver," he insists. But Martin recognizes that had he pulled the plug then, at the age of 43, he might have come out of retirement. Theres no chance of that now. "Im in a real good spot, Im busy outside the ice," he said. "Theres tons of stuff going on." First, hes got a new job as a broadcaster and curling ambassador with Rogers Sportsnet. Then theres his curling store in Edmonton, part interest in a golf-course development in Phoenix and his curling academies to run. For Martin, the icing on the cake this year was going out a winner after being disappointed at the Olympic curling trials. He beat Jacobs 4-3 in the mens final Sunday to win the Players Championship in the final tournament of his career, his 18th Grand Slam win on the professional tour he played a role in developing. "To have the 18th Slam work out . . . it makes it all that much easier," he said. As for the only thing he regrets in a lifetime of curling, it was that failure to medal in 1992, when curling was still an Olympic demonstration sport. He knew he wasnt good enough to win gold that year. "But then we played the U.S. in the bronze game and thats a game I think we should have won," Martin said. For one thing, it would have given him one of each medal. "The one game . . . over all the years that Id like to have back is that bronze game in 1992," he added. Cameron Meredith Jersey . The NFL says Wednesday that the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions at Wembley on Oct. 26 will start at 1:30 p. Natrell Jamerson Jersey . - Hitting was supposed to be the Pittsburgh Pirates weakness coming into the season yet they lead the major leagues in home runs through the first 16 games of the season. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.c...rd-gold-jersey/. HABS HEADED TO CONFERENCE FINAL The Montreal Canadiens scored early in Game Seven, built a lead and protected it well on their way to a 3-1 series-clinching win over the Boston Bruins. While this game or series isnt necessarily a referendum on the value of fourth lines, the Canadiens certainly benefitted from production lower down their forward depth chart. 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And finally, when Ovechkin and the Capitals had a power play for most of the last two minutes, Crosby was on the ice, helping kill off the chance. "It was a very good game," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said about Crosby. "All aspects." Now theres an understatement. "We saw a 5-on-5 play. We saw the speed (Crosbys line can) generate, and got the scoring chances," Bylsma added. "Used him in defensive situations, and (he) did a great job there on the penalty kill in the third." Crosby finished with his 30th goal and two assists to raise his NHL-leading point total to 87, matching his uniform number. The Penguins beat Washington for the seventh consecutive time and overtook idle Boston for the Eastern Conferences best record. The Capitals, who began the day outside of the playoff picture in 10th place in the East, have lost four of their past five games to fall into what Ovechkin called a "desperate position." The teams play each other again Tuesday at Pittsburgh. Mondays game featured the largely uneventful NHL debut of Russian forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, a player Capitals general manager George McPhee likened to the Loch Ness Monster: "Weve heard of you, but we havent seen you." The winger was a first-round draft pick in 2010, but has been playing in Russia. He signed a contract Saturday and got on the ice for the first time about two minutes into Mondays game, part of Washingtons fourth line with Tom Wilson and Jay Beagle. Wearing No. 92, Kuznetsov also got a bit of a run alongside Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, annd even some power-play action.dddddddddddd. He took 12 shifts for 10 minutes, 22 seconds, took two shots and blocked one. "We have to be patient and be realistic about expectations, because its a foreign league for him. Its a foreign system. Hes never played this way," Capitals coach Adam Oates said. "Hes never played in front of this many people, really. So for me, I want to ease him in." Penguins rookie goalie Jeff Zatkoff made 31 saves. Ovechkin, the three-time MVP who leads the NHL with 44 goals, was held without a point and was limited to four shots. Pittsburgh went ahead 1-0 on its first shot, when Crosby slid the puck across the ice to left wing Kunitz. Easily gliding past defenceman Mike Green, Kunitz flipped his shot past Jaroslav Halak, still wearing an all-white goalies mask in his second start for Washington after arriving last week in a trade. Green, Oates said, "got caught a little flat-footed on the play, probably a little surprised at the end of the shift that Kunitz had that much juice." The Capitals evened things less than 2 1/2 minutes later on Eric Fehrs 11th goal. That tie did not last long: 38 seconds afterward, Backstrom was sent to the penalty box for slashing Crosby -- who soon made it 2-1 off Evgeni Malkins assist. "I dont take too many of those. Its nice to see one go in," Crosby said. "Im usually a little closer when they go in." The Capitals got to 2-all on Backstroms power-play score at the 8:57 mark of the second period. This tie was a short one, too, lasting a little more than 3 1/2 minutes. And, not surprisingly, Crosby was involved in Pittsburghs goal again. He dropped a no-look pass back to Lee Stempniak, whose shot was kicked away by Halak, but Kunitz was there to poke in the rebound for his 31st goal. Oates summed it up this way: "Their big dogs scored." Notes: Pittsburgh went 3-2 on its season-high five-game road trip. ... Kuznetsovs appearance marked Washingtons fourth game in a row in which a player made his debut with the club. White NFL Jerseys Cheap Youth NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '
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