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UCLA is banking on young talent to turn its fortunes around while Pacific is counting on an experienced player with name value as head coach to resurrect its program. Custom Football Jerseys .The 16th-ranked Bruins, who are coming off a 15-17 season a year ago, host Pacific in the season-opening game for both teams on Friday. The Tigers, who finished 8-20 in 2015-16, have 13-year NBA veteran Damon Stoudamire at the helm, his first experience as a head coach.UCLA coach Steve Alford, in his fourth season with the Bruins, recruited one of the best freshman classes in the nation that includes 6-foot-6 point guard Lonzo Ball, 6-10 power forward T.J. Leaf (who can extend to the perimeter) and 6-10 center Ike Anigbogu. Alford has indicated that Anigbogu was expected to miss at least three games at the start of the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee.The influx of young talent matched with veterans such as senior guards Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton and junior forward Thomas Welsh has Alford confident that the Bruins will become relevant after missing the NCAA tournament last year. UCLAs losing record a year ago prompted Steve Alford to write an apologetic letter to fans in which he stated he returned to the school his one-year contract extension signed after the 2013-14 season.I dont think our team is concerned about what money I make or what money I give back, Steve Alford said, referencing his letter. I dont think thats an issue to our guys at all, so that part hasnt been talked about. Its about where that bar is.Coach (John) Wooden, whether its me, guys before me or guys after me in the future, same with players that played for Coach Wooden and guys that are playing in Westwood now, that bar was raised a long time ago by a guy that won a bucket load of games and championships, and established something that quite honestly hasnt been established anywhere else in the country.Depth is not a concern for UCLA evidenced by guard Aaron Holiday, who started all 32 games last year as a freshman. He is projected to be the sixth man this season.UCLA experimented with different lineups during a recent exhibition game against The Masters University, including a four-guard up-tempo version with Ball, Bryce Alford, Hamilton and Holiday.We have four very talented guards who know how to take care of the ball and know how to put the ball in the basket, Steve Alford said.Stoudamire, who has coaching experience as an assistant at Arizona (where he starred in college) and Memphis, is taking over a Pacific program that was in turmoil last season. Former coach Ron Verlin and an assistant were suspended for three months before being terminated in March in the midst of an NCAA investigation into allegations of academic misconduct.The Tigers have a balanced lineup as they return 11 of their top 13 scorers from last season, including junior wing Ray Bowles (11.1 points per game) and senior guard T.J. Wallace (10.8). In an exhibition win over Bristol on Nov. 4, senior guard David Taylor had 19 points (including five 3-pointers) and junior forward Jacob Lampkin had 15.Stoudamire, who was part of the UCLA-Arizona rivalry from 1991-95, has noted that the wealth of Pacifics returning players are buying into his coaching.If you have guys at the top of your team, your best players that are willing to be coachable, then that makes it easy for you as the head coach, he said. Custom Football Jerseys Outlet .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Custom Football Jerseys Online . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. http://www.customjerseysfootball.com/ . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. TORONTO -- The early-season struggles of the Nashville Predators werent just about a team trying to find cohesion with new parts on the ice.It was just as much about Nashville redefining its leadership core following the departure of former captain Shea Weber as well as other veterans such as Barret Jackman, Paul Gaustad and Eric Nystrom.And what youre seeing now, perhaps -- as the Preds have picked up points in six straight games (4-0-2) heading into their game Tuesday against the?Toronto Maple Leafs?-- is a team that has defined its pool of leaders through that early adversity.When you lose a lot of players, not just Shea, guys are figuring out where their spot is early in the season, new captain Mike Fisher said on Tuesday after the teams morning skate. So its all kind of new on the ice as well as off the ice. I feel like we went through a stretch where we realized we were a lot better than we were but [figured], Lets learn through it. I feel like were coming out better on the other side. Were figuring out how we need to play, our identity.Added alternate captain James Neal: Everyone is going through the change with new roles, a lot of younger guys, and new faces. Thats part of it. But we knew wed come out of it. Its all part of hard work.Its also part of the legacy that a guy like Weber left behind. Go around the Predators room like I did on Tuesday, and youll see the players faces light up when asked to put into words what their former captain meant to them.He had an amazing presence, said winger Colin Wilson. Hes one of the best guys I ever played with, best leaders, thats what hes known for. He set the tone every single day.The way Weber handled his day-to-day approach still influences his former teammates.Just seeing him working hard every practice, every day in the gym ... he never took a day off. He was just a true professional, said defenseman Mattias Ekholm. It was a pleasure to grow into the league with a guy like that as a leader. You feel how blessed youve been to have had a guy like that to look up to, and try to be as good as him every day.As his?Montreal Canadiens teammates are learning, Weber sets the tone by what he does, not so much what he says.He wasnt a huge talker, Wilson said. Its more that he showed up, and when you have a leader whos dialed inn every single day, every practice . Discount Custom Football Jerseys. .. . He never took any days off, he led by example. Hes an intense guy and hes somebody you wanted to play for. Hes also a lot of fun, he kept the dressing room pretty light.Added Neal: Sheas just a great guy, a great person, a great hockey player. He didnt need to say much. Thats the kind of leader he was and the kind of guy he is. When there were problems, he would be able to hide them. He put his work in every day, and if you didnt put the work in with him, you were falling behind. All great leaders are like that. He was a fun guy to play with.Talented blueliner Roman Josi, an alternate captain, is growing into a bigger leadership role.Its definitely kind of new for a lot of guys, said Josi. You just kind of grow into a leadership role and try to learn from the older guys. You try to get more comfortable with it.The player acquired for Weber, the dynamic P.K. Subban, is part of that group of guys who can each lead in their own way. For Subban that means delivering on the ice (the defenseman is tied for fourth in goals, with three, and points, with eight), but also trying, in times of adversity like the Predators had in the opening month (losing six of their first eight games) to keep the right frame of mind at the rink.It has been a challenge. I really believe that a lot of the outcome of whatever the situation youre in is determined by your attitude and how you approach it, Subban said on Tuesday. I always approach everything with a positive attitude. I seem to get more success doing that than anything else.Picked by many before the season as serious Stanley Cup challengers, the Predators are showing signs of becoming that team. And Ekholm said the early-season losses, while frustrating, might have been a blessing in disguise because they forced everyone in the room to understand what it was going to take.I think we can be a contender, but not unless everyone works hard and understands their roles and what have you, said Ekholm. We have strong leaders in this room still with a lot of the older guys. We got a lesson in the beginning and now were finding our stride. We just have to keep at it. ' ' '