Herzlich Willkommen » Its just not working for the Blue Jays

FORT WORTH, Texas - Brad Keselowskis face was puffy, and he took a couple quick drinks of water to wash the blood from his mouth. Vern Mikkelsen Lakers Jersey . So close to a big playoff win, Jeff Gordon was left with a cut on his lip.The Chase for the Sprint Cup championship took another intense turn Sunday night when past champions Gordon and Keselowski were a part of a brawl after Jimmie Johnson won his third consecutive Texas fall race.Johnson emerged from a frantic finish, the second attempt at an overtime two-lap sprint to the finish after his teammate Gordon spun out from the front following contact with Keselowski.While Johnson celebrated his fourth victory at Texas and 70th Sprint Cup win overall, fireworks exploded in the sky — and on pit road.An irate Gordon stopped his car right by Keselowski and confronted him. There were plenty of punches thrown, with NASCAR officials in the middle of crew members and others around Keselowskis No. 2 car.I couldnt even tell you what happened, said Keselowski, who confirmed he was hit by someone. Just a melee of people.It seemed the only contact among drivers was when Kevin Harvick shoved Keselowski in the back to push him into the fracas, and Gordon briefly appeared to grab hold of Keselowskis firesuit.All the punches thrown appeared to come from crew members — including a member of Gordon teammate Kasey Kahnes team who appeared to land several shots on Keselowski from behind.Gordon was leading on a restart on lap 335, one more than the races scheduled length, when he took the outside lane. When Gordon drifted up a bit, Keselowski pushed through the gap, and made contact that left Gordons car with a cut tire.We were just racing for the win. I didnt wreck him, and just raced him hard. He left a hole. Everything you watch in racing, you leave a hole, youre supposed to go for it, Keselowski said. I dont want to ruin anyones day. I wanted to win the race and that was the opportunity.Gordon said he was on older tires when out of nowhere I got slammed by the 2. He then used an expletive in referring to Keselowski, who finished third.The way he races, I dont know how he ever won a championship. This is why everyone is fighting with him, Gordon said. There wasnt any conversation. You cant have a conversation with him. Theres big consequences. To me, its just a bunch of crap. The kid is just doing stuff way over his head.Gordon spun out, lost a lap in the pits and finished 29th. He also became the second competitor in four races to confront Keselowski after the checkered flag.NASCAR will review the post-race brawl and penalties could be issued during the week. Keselowski was fined $50,000 for his behaviour at Charlotte, but Matt Kenseth escaped penalty because he did not throw any punches when he jumped Keselowski from behind.Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice-president of competition and racing development, indicated he had no problem with the hard racing in Texas. He might have a different take on what happened after the race.You shouldnt punch somebody, Pemberton said. Everybody gets together, and when youre holding on to each other and grabbing and this, that and the other, its one thing. When punches are landed, thats a different scenario.Johnson won by a half-second over Chase contender Harvick, who then pushed Keselowski into the fray.If youre going to race like that, youre going to have to man up at some point, Harvick said afterward. I didnt get in the middle of anything. I just turned him around and told him to go fight his own fight.Johnson, the six-time Cup champion who was eliminated after the second round in the new Chase format, led 191 of the 341 laps.The next highest-finishing Chase contenders behind Harvick and Keselowski were Carl Edwards in ninth and Denny Hamlin 10th.Texas was the second consecutive Chase race won by a driver already eliminated from title contention. That means at least three drivers will advance on points to get into the final four in the season finale at Homestead in two weeks.The third round of the Chase wraps up next Sunday in Phoenix, where Harvick won eight months ago in the second race of the season. Kenseth and Hamlin were the only of the eight Chase contenders to finish outside the top eight in that race.Joey Logano finished 12th at Texas, but is listed first in points while having the same number as Hamlin and two more than Ryan Newman. Gordon is fourth, a point ahead of Kenseth and Carl Edwards, followed by Keselowski and Harvick — though there is only an 18-point gap between first and eighth place. Mitch Richmond Jersey . - The Green Bay Packers got back to work on Friday without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Andrew Bynum Lakers Jersey . Carey Price made 27 saves for Montreal (30-21-6) for his fourth shutout of the year and second in four games. David Desharnais added an empty netter for the Canadiens. Reto Berra stopped 25 shots for Calgary (21-28-7). https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/1311j-charlie-scott-jersey-lakers.html . Before that, Rousey needed a total 23 minutes and 26 seconds to take care of her last eight opponents - and one of those fights lasted 10 minutes and 58 seconds.As Major League Baseballs regular season winds down, theres considerable focus here on what the Toronto Blue Jays spent (or didnt spend) on players heading into this season, what they apparently wouldnt spend in-season and what theyll be willing to commit going into 2015. And theyre all reasonable questions since ownership was working under a self-imposed salary cap, otherwise known as a budget. The issue may be more that the Blue Jays were unwilling to budge from that amount in the face of such obvious needs as starting pitching and second base help. There are a lot of major league teams that spent similarly or significantly less than the Blue Jays and put together better lineups. The relationship between spending in baseball and success is much less straight-forward than, if you spend it, it will come. It of course being the post-season. This season, the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox had the second, third and fourth-highest opening day payrolls in baseball, at $202, $180, and $162 million respectively. And as of today, those teams sit 14, 21, and 26 games respectively out of first place within their divisions. In the case of the Red Sox and Phillies, both teams will finish in last place this season. Thats $544 million spent on players to finish a combined 61 games out of first place. Which isnt to suggest that spending in baseball doesnt affect overall performance. Of the six division leaders in baseball right now, only the Cardinals and Orioles are in first place without outtspending all of their division rivals based on opening day payrolls. Robert Horry Jersey. . But among the four wild card teams in place now - Kansas City, Oakland, Pittsburgh and San Francisco rank 19th, 25th, 27th and seventh. That tells you that baseballs intent to make the post-season accessible to teams that couldnt spend their way to the top of a division is working. Its just not working for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays shouldnt necessarily to be prepared to spend more going into next season. Its just that pointing to payroll as the reason why this team has missed the post-season for more than two decades is shortsighted and misses the bigger issue with this team, which is the ability identify and develop major league talent and sign players to contracts that provide the best return on investment. The Blue Jays opened this season with a payroll $21 million more than the St. Louis Cardinals, $25 million more than the Orioles, $40 million more than Kansas City, $49 million more than Oakland and $64 million more than Pittburgh. All of those teams are currently in a playoff position. The Washington Nationals - with the best record in the National League and a 16-game lead in the NL East, have done so with a payroll just over $2 million more than the Blue Jays. The bottom line is this: focusing on payroll in fact obstructs the flaws in how this team has been built. So if youre a fan fed up with the Blue Jays mediocrity, what this team is willing to spend should be well down your list of concerns. ' ' '