Im writing this having just returned from the International Broadcast Centre in Sochi after watching and broadcasting a portion of the mens final in figure skating. DaShawn Hand Lions Jersey . It would be an understatement to say that I am still stunned by what has transpired here in Russia. Yuzuru Hanyu, a 19-year-old, has just become the Olympic gold medallist, the first for his country, in this individual discipline. Meanwhile, the three-time and reigning world champion, Patrick Chan of Canada, has taken the silver medal. Neither skated perfectly, far from it, but the drama of it all was breathtaking. And although I might have forecast a different result, I find myself unable to quibble with the bottom line. Someone came first and someone came second. The only call I took when I got back here to the hotel was from an old acquaintance and colleague named Dave Campbell at CHED radio in Edmonton. I had run into him during my Hockey Night in Canada days covering the Oilers. But tonight Dave didnt even mention the score of the Canadian mens hockey game versus Austria, a 6-0 shellacking by the maple leaf men. He wanted to talk figure skating. “You know, we were discussing Chan and the result in the office, and we were disappointed,” he said. “But then again we thought that figure skating must surely be the most difficult of the Olympic sports.” I would have to agree. Personally speaking, I cannot fathom what it must be like to go onto a sheet of ice in front of 12,000 people and to perform what appears to be a series of impossible acts without an overwhelming fear of failure. There is nowhere for these young people to hide. There is no mulligan for a bad jump, or second chance to eliminate the sting of a fall on ones ass. You cannot skip a shift and survive in figure skating. It is what it is. These athletes accept that they are required to stand and deliver and when the dust settles they must live with the result. In the end, they must go it alone. The thing is, I felt completely helpless for Patrick Chan as he skated with a chance to be the Olympic champion. I have followed his career since the time he first won the national title seven years ago. Ive been there for each of his three world championships. He has never dodged a question and never given an excuse for something less than a perfect performance. He is, in my experience, a conscientious and hard-working young man who is supremely talented. Tonight, he came up short, and I know he wishes he could do it all over again … but he cant. Dave Campbell may have been right when he suggested that figure skating is the most difficult of the sports. Im convinced it is simultaneously the most beautiful and brutal. The judges reward you lavishly when you succeed, and they punish you ruthlessly when you dont. And they make you sit by yourself to await your fate on a giant-sized television screen so that everyone in the arena and around the globe knows what they think of you. Those are the facts when it comes to figure skating. And while Im disappointed for Patrick Chan and happy for Yuzuru Hanyu, Im astonished that the result has affected me the way it has. Its not like I havent witnessed something like this before. “Its just so thrilling,” Dave Campbell said. “And its causing me to lose sleep, but I cant get enough of it.” I feel the same way. Its the savage beauty of sport and the incredible attraction that the brave hearts who dare to venture onto the Olympic field of play hold for me. DaShawn Hand Jersey . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. Kerryon Johnson Jersey . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U. http://www.officialllionsproshop.com/Youth-Frank-Ragnow-Lions-Jersey/ . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. PHILADELPHIA -- In a change of recent fortune, luck was on Cole Hamels side this time. Wil Nieves doubled and had three hits and Hamels got a victory when he wasnt at his best as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday. Chase Utley had the go-ahead RBI and Ben Revere and Marlon Byrd drove in runs for the Phillies, who won for just the third time in their last nine. Kendrys Morales homered for Seattle, which was bidding to move 12 games over .500 for the first time since 2007. The Mariners, who are battling Detroit for the ALs second wild-card spot, lost for just the third time in 10 games. Hamels (7-6) snapped his string of seven straight starts going at least seven innings, but picked up the win in a rare reversal of fortunes. The left-hander entered Wednesday with the eight-best ERA in baseball but there were more than 100 pitchers with more victories. Hamels didnt have his best stuff against the Mariners, giving up three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts, one walk and two wild pitches, but he got just enough run support and a lift from the Philadelphia bullpen. "Hes pitched outstanding," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He was due for a win like this with not his best stuff and his teammates picking him up. Hes on a long roll of good games and some of them without the run support. He was due for one today." Hamels said: "I think the team definitely played really well with getting the runs in when we needed to." Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his 30th save in 33 opportunities. Jake Diekman followed Hamels and struck out four in two scoreless frames and Ken Giles fanned the side in the scoreless eighth. James Paxton (3-1) took the first loss of his career after the shortest outing in his 10th start. He lasted four innings while allowing four runs - one earned - on seven hits. The 25-year-old Paxton was 6-0 in his career. "I probably couldve executed pitches a little bit better," Paxton said. "But they were finding holes with ground balls, a couple blooopers in there, but thats baseball. Custom Detroit Lions Jerseys. quot; Philadelphia was helped by Paxton in the fourth. After Nieves led off with a single, Andres Blanco hit a liner off Paxtons left ankle. The pitcher retrieved the ball but threw it away to put runners on second and third with no outs. Nieves scored on a passed ball and Utleys RBI single made it 4-3. TRAINERS ROOM Mariners: Paxton stayed in the game after taking Blancos line drive off his left foot in the fourth inning. He said afterward he was OK. Phillies: OF John Mayberry Jr. had a pair of hits on Tuesday in his first rehab game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley at Pawtucket. Mayberry has been on the DL since July 21 with left wrist inflammation. UP NEXT Mariners: Seattle takes Thursday off before heading to Boston for a three-game series at Fenway Park beginning at 4:10 Friday afternoon. Felix Hernandez (13-4, 1.99) takes the hill for the Mariners for the first time since snapping his MLB record of 16 straight starts with seven or more innings and two runs or fewer. Phillies: Following Thursdays off day, RHP Kyle Kendrick (5-11, 4.90) takes the mound as Philadelphia opens a three-game home series with the Cardinals at 7:05 Friday. Kendrick is 1-3 with a 5.49 ERA in his last seven starts. Following his last start, Kendrick apologized a day after storming off the mound and not waiting for manager Ryne Sandberg when he was lifted after allowing three earned runs in five innings of a 6-5 loss to the Giants on Saturday. SUPPORT FOR TANEY Sandberg replaced his customary Phillies uniform and cap with one bearing the name of Taney at his postgame news conference and pledged the teams support for the Philadelphia team in the Little League World Series. "We all played Little League so we can relate," Sandberg said. "Its back to the basics of having fun and jumping around and doing all of the things they do. To have someone to cheer for and pull for, that doesnt happen every year. We have somebody to pull for." STREAK SNAPPED The Mariners had their streak of 15 straight wins when scoring three or more runs snapped. Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Cheap Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Discount Jerseys Wholesale Stitched Jerseys ' ' '