th my manager and whoever takes care of that stuff.I think 2017 is going to be a big year for Philadelphia. | Forum

                                      MADISON, Wis. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys . -- Vitto Brown hadnt even broken a sweat when Wisconsin coach Greg Gard pulled the forward and fellow starter Ethan Happ just more than a minute into Thursday nights game with Chicago State.But the move sent a message.Brown ending up scoring 12 points to lead No. 9 Wisconsin as the Badgers shook off some uneven play from their starters to beat the Cougars 69-51.Its always important to send a message with your leaders like us because they know if we mess up and can be taken out, the other guys will be held to the same standard, Brown said.Gard said he figured some of his starters would be sluggish two days after a 79-67 loss to No. 22 Creighton. But after seeing a couple of careless turnovers to start the game and a quick 8-0 deficit, he had enough.Gards move paid off. Khalil Iverson came off the bench to add 11 points, and freshman guard DMitrik Trice dished out seven assists in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, Bronson Koenig added 10 points, though he was 1 of 6 from 3-point range.Thats the nice thing about having guys on the bench who will go in and play as hard as you can, as smart as you can, for as long as you can, Gard said.The Badgers (2-1) were just 11 of 39 from beyond the 3-point line against Creighton. They again struggled from deep Thursday, hitting 5 of 19. But they had little trouble with the Cougars (1-1) inside as they pulled away. They hit almost 54 percent of their two-point attempts, outscoring Chicago State 34-10 in the paint.Fred Sims scored 26 points to lead Chicago State, which came out in a zone and pressed Wisconsin early.Coach Tracy Dildy said his staff saw Wisconsins shooting troubles in Tuesdays game and decided to go with a zone to see where it can take us. With the Badgers struggles continuing, he added, it likely made the Cougars zone look better than it was.But they stopped settling for 3s and really were able to have their way pounding it inside, he said.BIG PICTUREChicago State: Hey, its a paycheck. The Panthers went 4-28 last season, including 0-14 in the Western Athletic Conference. They were a tune up for a bigger, deeper and more talented team.Wisconsin: It wasnt always pretty but Wisconsin played better inside than it did in Tuesdays loss and now moves onto bigger challenges.TOUGH NIGHT AT THE OFFICEWisconsins Nigel Hayes, who scored 16 points in Tuesdays loss, was a non-factor. He was 1 for 8 from the field, including 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and 0 for 2 from the free throw line. He finished with three points. He wasnt the only one who struggled. Fellow starter Zak Showalter missed all five shots he took, including four from behind the 3-point line.PROTEST CONTINUESHayes and and fellow Badger Jordan Hill continued their protest during the national anthem. Both stood a step behind the rest of their teammates while it was played. Hayes stood with his hands clasped behind his back, head down with the collar of his warm-up shirt pulled up over the bottom half of his face.POLL IMPLICATIONSIts not going to make up for Tuesdays loss to Creighton. But the Badgers largely took care of business and have a chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of pollsters when they head to Maui next week.UP NEXTChicago State: The Cougars travel to Oakland on Saturday as they play 14 of their 16 pre-conference games on the road. That includes two games next month in Nevada as part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic.Wisconsin: The Badgers will get some stiffer competition against No. 21 Tennessee on Monday in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Discount NFL Jerseys . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. http://www.cheapjerseyswholesaleauthentic.com/ . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez doesnt know what the promotion has in mind for his first title defense.But as far as hes concerned, theres no reason to even discuss potential options until Aug. 20 -- when Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz are scheduled to fight at UFC 202.Its a wait-and-see type thing right now, Alvarez told ESPN.com. Lets wait and see what August 20th brings and then lets make a big fight after that.The UFC recently booked a November clash between highly ranked contenders Rafael dos Anjos and Tony Ferguson. Once that fight was made, many assumed Alvarez (28-4) would draw undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov (23-0), who is ranked right behind him at 155 pounds.Alvarez (28-4), who knocked out dos Anjos in the first round to claim the 155-pound title last month, isnt making any such assumptions. His sights are set on the winner of the nontitle welterweight fight between McGregor and Diaz.Alvarez, 32, says he has little interest in Nurmagomedov, who, despite a perfect record, has just one win in the last two years due to injury. That victory came against UFC newcomer Darrell Horcher in April.Im not sure what the promotions take is, but thats where I stand, Alvarez said. Those are the guys I want to get my hands on. Ive said it from the very beginning: Fighting the best guys in the world doesnt pay as good as the circus. I want to join the circus. Im trying to get that circus money.As far as Nurmagomedov, I just dont get how you become the No. 1 contender without actually fighting guys who are ranked in the top 10. It kind of baffles me. The lightweight division right now is a bunch of guys who fight opponents ranked in the top 30 and never actually take a risk and fight a top-5 guy. I can walk into a restaurant and knock five guys out, become 5-0 real quick. Its about the quality of opponent. You have to beat the right guys to call yourself the No. 1 conntender. NFL Jerseys Wholesale. Alvarez says he wouldnt be so adamant about a McGregor fight if it werent for hearing the Irish fighters name over and over again in recent years. After Alvarezs wins against Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis, he says the name that continued to come up was always McGregors.Even after he defeated dos Anjos for the title, Alvarez says he frequently fielded questions about McGregor.Itd be nice to stop being asked about it, Alvarez said. Its a little bit annoying, you know? I dont look at him the same way I look at and respect a Rafael dos Anjos -- or any of the top guys who fight the real fighters.Diaz, too, though. I was on the assumption I was cool with Nick and Nate Diaz, but there was a switch flipped when I fought Nates teammate, Gilbert Melendez, in Mexico last year. I was getting all this mean mugging. I guess he was angry because I was fighting his friend, as if I gave a s--- or really didnt like his friend. I was there for a check.I tried to get that through to him but he didnt want to hear it. He was very bitter when I won that fight. It is what it is. I still think those guys are good guys, they just are who they are.A native of Philadelphia, Alvarez says he hasnt signed a new contract since winning the UFC title, but expects that to happen shortly. While official plans for his first title defense are up in the air, Alvarez says he is optimistic he could fight in his hometown next year.Well do [a contract extension] very soon, Alvarez said. Im not sure how it will work with the recent sale of the UFC, but Ill have a talk with my manager and whoever takes care of that stuff.I think 2017 is going to be a big year for Philadelphia. Im looking to grab the UFC and pull them back in the direction of Philadelphia. ' ' '