SANTA CLARA, Calif. [url=http://www.soccerwalesstore.com/gareth-bale-wales-UEFA-EURO-jersey/ ]Gareth Bale Wales Jersey[/url] . - Alex Smith arrived in San Francisco with the pressure of being the No. 1 overall draft pick. He got called a draft bust, then turned the tide to win back those same fans who

SANTA CLARA, Calif. Gareth Bale Wales Jersey . - Alex Smith arrived in San Francisco with the pressure of being the No. 1 overall draft pick. He got called a draft bust, then turned the tide to win back those same fans who had booed him out of Candlestick Park.Smith got hurt, bounced back, started and was benched, then regained his job and lost it once more. All the while as he adjusted to a new offensive co-ordinator and system nearly every year.Smith will be the first to say his up-and-down tenure with the 49ers hardly went how he hoped when he left Utah as the NFLs top choice in 2005. When he takes the field at Levis Stadium in the other uniform Sunday with Kansas City, there will be mixed emotions for everybody involved.No bitterness at all, Smith said. What happened there the end of the (2012) year, losing my job, you get to that point and I say this a lot, worrying about anything that was outside your control and dwelling on any of that stuff is only going to have a negative impact.He is coming off a statement game in a 41-14 Monday night win by the Chiefs (2-2) against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Smith threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns.I cant wait to see him. Me and Alex came in together, and Im so happy for him, said running back Frank Gore, a staunch supporter of Smith over the years. Hes doing a great job. Weve got to go out there and try to get a win. But Im happy for Alex and I love him, man.Smith considered leaving the Bay Area for good after the 2010 season. He stuck around, then in 2011 led teammates through their own practices at nearby San Jose State during the lockout.He had unfinished business, and then it was time to go.I felt like it was complete. I felt like we had rebounded, Smith said. It took a lot longer than I thought, got the organization back where it needed to be.That 2011 year, Smith rallied his team from behind five times, including four away games, as the Niners went 6-2 on the road. His 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with 9 seconds remaining in the NFC division playoffs lifted the 49ers to a 36-32 victory against the favoured Saints.And Smith was rewarded with a new three-year contract in March 2012 with the idea he would carry the offence again. A concussion and a strong-armed guy named Colin changed all that.Colin Kaepernick took over for good in November and Smith never regained his job even when healthy. He was stung, angry at times, and didnt agree with the decision. But he kept his mouth shut.One of the classiest people Ive ever been around, just an all-around great guy. I dont think anyone could have handled it any better than he did, Kaepernick said Wednesday. He definitely made things go a lot smoother. The way he handled things, he didnt turn it into a controversy in the locker room. That just shows the character he has not just as a player but as a man.Smith finds it funny this week to be watching 49ers defensive stars Justin Smith and Patrick Willis on tape.Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was among Smiths supporters. It was Tomsula who started him over Troy Smith, which made him a winner in a one-game stint as interim head coach to end the 2010 season after Mike Singletary was fired.I have a tremendous amount of respect for Alex Smith a€” as a man, a father, a husband, a person, and a football player, Tomsula said. I think hes extremely intelligent, extremely gifted, I think hes a winner. I dont have a negative about Alex Smith, I just really think the world of him.In 2011, Smith thrived under 15-year quarterback-turned-first-year NFL head coach Jim Harbaugh and helped lead the franchise to its first post-season berth and winning record in nine years.Largely because of Smiths leadership then, the 49ers have emerged as a regular contender again. He threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions in 2011 as arguably the biggest surprise in San Franciscos 13-3 run to its first division title since 2002.We have great respect for his game. Ive never seen Alex Smith not be good, Harbaugh said. Im sure that adds to it, adds to the competitiveness the fact Alex did play here. Very happy for his success, not rooting for success for him this week.Andy Reid, who returned to Philadelphia in his first season coaching the Chiefs last year, offered his own insight to Smith.What I did was I just ordered a cheesesteak and went and coached, Reid said. You eliminate the clutter. You focus in on what you do. All that stuff, going home, that doesnt mean anything.___AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in Kansas City contributed to this report.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Gareth Bale Jersey .com) - They didnt meet in the regular season, so Sam Houston State might be saying it won the de facto title game between the two Southland Conference co-champions Saturday. Ashley Williams Jersey . Dancevic won his singles match on Friday, defeating Go Soeda 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-1, to even the best-of-five series at a game apiece. World No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky in the opening match, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. http://www.soccerwalesstore.com/joe-ledley-wales-UEFA-EURO-jersey/ . -- Michael Phelps is 0 for 1 in his comeback to the pool.St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Nino Niederreiter scored the winning goal with 4:33 to play as the Minnesota Wild rallied in the third period to take a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Mikko Koivu and Thomas Vanek each posted a goal and an assist while Jason Pominville and Erik Haula also scored for the Wild, who have won two of their last three. Niklas Backstrom made 15 saves for the win. We were able to collect ourselves and have much better focus in our game after the first period, said Wild head coach Mike Yeo. Weve got to stop having these bad starts because its not always going to end this way. Josh Bailey, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson and Michael Grabner all lit the lamp for the Islanders, who have lost their last two. Chad Johnson allowed all five goals on 30 shots. Weve got to learn from these losses, said New York head coach Jack Capuano. Its not like we played a terrible game, but I dont like the fact that they were throwing us around our net tonight. Trailing by three goals entering the third, the Wild got one back 2:51 in after Koivu skated from the right of the net to the circle and used a defender as a screen to zip a wrister past Johnson. The next goal didnt come until 11:03 when Haulas turnaround shot from the right side went off the skate of New Yorks Thomas Hickey in front and went in. Just 45 seconds later, the Wild tied the game as a right circle faceoff win saw the team control the puck, and a shot on net from the riight point saw Vanek eventually jam home the rebound. Joe Allen Jersey. Niederreiter scored the winner less than four minutes later as the bouncing puck wound up in front and he tapped home his own rebound. The Isles were given a power play with 2:28 to play and pulled Johnson to skate 6-on-4 for much of the advantage, but were unable to pot the equalizer. It was all New York in the first period as Grabner scored on a wrister from the slot 8:31 in, and Nelson tipped in a Nick Leddy shot at 17:15 on the power play. Just 32 seconds later, the Isles made it a 3-0 game when Martin shot home a rebound from the left side. In the second period, Minnesota defender Keith Ballard was checked into the mid-ice boards by Matt Martin and stayed on the ice for several minutes. He was eventually helped into the dressing room and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. No penalty was called on the play. The Wild got one back at 9:01 of the second on the power play thanks to Pominvilles tip of a Ryan Suter shot. New York didnt have its first shot of the second period until there was 2:43 left in the frame, but the team made it count as Bailey buried a backhand for his fourth of the year. Game Notes Minnesota hits the road for the next three games starting Thursday in San Jose ... New York plays in St. Louis on Thursday ... Each team went 1-for-5 on the power play ... Suter had three assists in the contest. ' ' '