of the stars transfer fee.Prosecutors said they are seeking

TORONTO -- The image of Team Europe, a roster of players from eight different countries with an average age of 30, jumping up and down on their skates in unison was a pretty cool moment for the World Cup of Hockey.The sea of white, blue and teal jerseys celebrating with a group hug in the corner of Air Canada Centre wasnt what anyone expected for this best-on-best tournament, but Team Europe accomplished its goal of coming together as a team and defeated Team Sweden 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals on Sunday.Most picked Sweden and Team Canada to be in the finals. Team USA was also thought of as a true contender. Finland always finds a way to finish strong in these tournaments. Once many witnessed the speed and talent of Team North America -- and how they handled Europe in pretournament play -- the idea that Team Europe could even compete at this level was questioned.Now, this roster of players from Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia and Austria will face Team Canada in the best-of-three championship starting Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).I dont think anyone wanted us here in this tournament, and now were in the finals, said Team Europe forward Mats Zuccarello. Thats something were really proud of, and its fun to be here, fun to be playing with these guys and having a chance to go this far in a tournament like this.Talk to any player from Europe and theyre quick to credit pride as the reason for the teams success. The idea that building a roster of completely different players seemed ridiculous. No doubt Europe entered this tournament as the laughingstock. It leaned on its motivation, experience and pride to find a cohesiveness and surprised the entire hockey world.Because we have no past and because we have no future, we are really capable of being in the now, said Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger.When the NHL and the NHLPA decided to bring back the World Cup of Hockey, there were many unknowns. The sides reached out to Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, a native of Slovakia, for his opinion. Chara, who speaks eight different languages, was a key architect of Team Europe. After Krueger was named head coach, he met Chara in New York last fall to discuss the strategy. It was during that conversation when Team Europes philosophy was born.Come together as a team, that was our No. 1 priority, Chara said. We talked about a lot of things, but nothing can be accomplished, nothing can be done, if you dont come together as a team and play as one -- and obviously create some great memories. Its not going to happen if youre not going to have everyone on the same page and playing as a team. The No. 1 priority was to bond as a team and become one. Nobody showed any egos, and we worked really hard.Krueger has been phenomenal for this group and fantastic for this tournament. The players bought into his system and ideas. Its been that way since day one. Its still unbelievable to think Team Europe has reached the finals of the World Cup of Hockey. Most thought Team North America, a roster of players 23-and-under, would be the Cinderella story in this tournament.We really cant control whats been said before the tournament or what was said during the tournament or whats going to be said probably now, Chara said. All we can control is being in the moment and inside our locker room. Its obviously something that not many people predicted. But at the same time, we came to the tournament with the approach of taking one game at a time and do our best and being really humbled but at the same time confident in our group and players we have inside that room. We just work really hard and came together as a team.Team Europe struck some as a gimmick. It will probably never exist again after this week. However, it does serve a purpose for Krueger & Co. The team set many goals as it prepared for this tournament, but its desire to inspire young children to learn to play the game at the grassroots level is extremely important to Krueger and the players from the eight different nations.I came in here saying that we hoped that a few young children back in those countries get inspired by what we do and become great NHL players in 10 years or 12 years, Krueger said. And if that happens when Im old and retired, I hope that it was a part of this tournament that did that.?Team Europe beat Sweden. Yes, its true. Sweden, a contender in every international tournament lost to a team that did not exist until 13 months ago. To think that Europe can now beat Team Canada also seems like a stretch. But for Europe, pride and confidence is key.Anything you want to get done, anything you want to accomplish, you have to believe, Chara said. If youre not going to believe in what you can do or you can accomplish something and set yourself goals, then you might as well pack it in. The moment you start questioning yourself, thats a moment too late. You have to believe, you have to set yourself new goals all the time and push yourself always forward. Nike Shoes From China . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Fake Nike Shoes . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. https://www.nikeshoeschina.us/ . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Discount Nike Shoes From China . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Clearance Nike Shoes From China . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. BASEBALLRYE, N.Y. -- Ralph Branca, the Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher who gave up the home run dubbed the Shot Heard `Round the World, has died at the age of 90.Son-in-law Bobby Valentine, a former major league manager, says Branca died at a nursing home in Rye, New York.The home run that Branca gave up on Oct. 3, 1951, became one of the most famous in baseball history.Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer off Branca with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the New York Giants a dramatic 5-4 playoff victory and the National League pennant. Thomsons heroics put the Giants into the World Series.Branca, a three-time All-Star, spent the first 11 seasons of his big-league career with the Dodgers. He also pitched for the Tigers and Yankees.SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners finally landed the established shortstop theyve long been trying to find.To do it, they had to part with a talented young pitcher who still has the potential to blossom.Seattle and Arizona pulled off a five-player trade, with the Mariners acquiring speedy infielder Jean Segura and the Diamondbacks getting right-hander Taijuan Walker as the centerpieces of the deal.Segura immediately projects as Seattles leadoff hitter and starting shortstop, solidifying an infield that already includes All-Star sluggers Kyle Seager at third base and Robinson Cano at second. But getting Segura meant the Mariners had to give up on the inconsistent Walker, a power arm who has showed occasional flashes of brilliance.BAYLOR SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONWACO, Texas -- Two women who reported being gang-raped by Baylor University football players have reached a settlement with the school, which has been hammered by months of criticism that it ignored or mishandled assault claims for years.The settlement was announced in a joint statement by Baylor interim President David Garland and the lawyers representing the women. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.The settlements were the latest development in a scandal that has rocked the nations largest Baptist university. An investigation by the law firm Pepper Hamilton earlier this year found that the school mishandled assault claims for years. Football coach Art Briles was fired, school President Ken Starr was demoted and eventually left, and Athletic Direct Ian McCaw resigned.Baylor regents recently disclosed that 17 women had reported domestic violence or sexual assaults that involved 19 football players since 2011, including four gang rapes.COLLEGE BASKETBALLNEW YORK -- College womens basketball is exploring ways to change the format of the NCAA Tournament, including moving the Final Four back a week to avoid overlap with the end of the mens tournament.In a survey given to the conferences and obtained by The Associated Press, the womens basketball oversight committee laid out a few potential changes that wouldnt take place until 2019 at the earliest.dddddddddddd The date change would put the womens Final Four on the same weekend as the Masters.The committee is asking the schools and conferences for feedback on several alterations, including having the opening round at 32 sites and having the second round and regionals played at the same location. Moving the Final Four would add a bye week to the tournament schedule.ESPN, which broadcasts the NCAA Tournament, was opposed to most of the changes because of costs and feasibility.Most of the ideas were originally discussed in a White Paper put together by Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman in 2013 on the state of womens basketball.OLYMPICSRIO DE JANEIRO -- Olympic organizers in Rio de Janeiro are trying to hand over almost $3 million in ticket refund payments due to 13,000 people.One big problem. They cant find them.We are hunting after people, Rio spokesman Mario Andrada told The Associated Press. We have the money, but dont know how to get it to them.Rio organizers allowed buyers to return tickets, which were resold.Instead of selling them to scalpers, they gave the tickets back to us, and we resold them, Andrada said.Andrada said 140,000 people returned Olympic and Paralympic tickets for resale, a value of 80 million Brazilian reals ($23.5 million).About 90 percent have been reimbursed. But incorrect bank details and faulty credit card numbers are hampering the remaining refunds that total about 9 million reals ($2.7 million).SOCCERMADRID -- Spanish prosecutors want to punish Neymar, his father, Barcelona, and the players Brazilian club because of an investment groups claim that they concealed the value of the stars transfer fee.Prosecutors said they are seeking a two-year prison sentence and a $10.6 million fine for Neymar and his father on corruption charges, although they are not likely to face any jail time because in Spain sentences of less than two years for first offences are usually suspended.Prosecutors also want to punish former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell on corruption and fraud charges, which could lead to up to five years in prison and the same $10.6 million fine. The former president of Brazilian club Santos, Odilio Rodrigues, is facing a three-year prison sentence on fraud charges.They are all set to stand trial after a complaint brought by Brazilian investment group DIS, which was entitled to 40 percent of Neymars transfer from Brazilian club Santos in 2013 but said it received a smaller compensation because part of the transfer fee was concealed. ' ' '