COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- In the weeks leading up to the Baseball Hall of Fame induction, the prevailing theme was, Two players -- different paths. Ken Griffey Jr. was the talented wunderkind who seemed destined for greatness from the moment the Seattle Mariners chose him No. 1 in the 1987 draft. Mike Piazza was the gifted hitter whose lack of speed and defensive skill heralded little opportunity until Tommy Lasorda hounded the Dodgers into selecting him in the 62nd round in 1988.Now the two sluggers will be linked in baseball history -- most notably, in the Hall of Plaques in Cooperstown -- as members of the Class of 2016. Piazza and Griffey delivered bookend speeches before a crowd of 50,000 Sunday, and next year theyll have the luxury of returning, playing golf and enjoying the surroundings sans pressure, if they so desire.They each took roads that not many have ever traveled, said former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, Piazzas best friend in baseball. Mike was the late-round draft pick with people doubting him along the way. Junior had the expectations of having a successful big-league dad. But they both did it on their own. There werent any shortcuts. I think that added a human quality to the display of emotion you saw here.For all their differences, Griffey and Piazza have spent enough time together over the past few months to discover theyre kindred spirits in many ways. Amid the plaudits and the shoutouts -- and so many cheers -- they have learned theyre more alike than their baseball résumés would suggest.Theyre both softiesAlong with Frank Thomas tear-filled induction speech and Bill Mazeroski turning into a puddle and cutting his speech short in 2001, this was among the most emotionally wrenching induction ceremony in memory. Piazza sobbed while discussing his relationship with his father, and he choked up in recalling the influence that former Dodgers coach Reggie Smith had in saving his career when he briefly walked away from the game in the minor leagues.It was a sequence of events Piazza predicted recently when he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.Jimmy sent me a text and I said, Im gonna cry, Piazza recalled. And he said, Real men cry at funerals and when they get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. So dont worry about it. Griffey was such a mess, he commenced crying less than a minute into his speech while thanking the Baseball Writers Association for voting him into Cooperstown. In hindsight, he violated a cardinal rule by looking down into the crowd at his sons Trey and Tevin, and his daughter, Taryn, against the advice of his fellow Hall of Famers.Thats probably the first time in a long time Ive seen Junior come out of his security blanket and lose his composure, said former Seattle Mariners outfielder Jay Buhner, Griffeys closest friend in the game. It was good to see him let his hair down, per se, and let the emotions flow. I love it. How can you not get choked up talking about your family? I got choked up listening to Piazza, too. I would have been crying like a little baby if I was up there.They have the makings of a comedy actBoth players revealed their senses of humor throughout the weekend, whether in their speeches or in dealing with the obligatory rookie hazing from their veteran Hall of Fame counterparts.They told me I had to sing with the band in the bar, Piazza said. So I started playing drums and then I went to singing, and my wife came running in and said, The bartender just said, Quick, get him back on the drums.When Wade Boggs started singing Knights in White Satin by the Moody Blues, it got a little scary and a little weird, so I knew I had to get out of there. I think Kenny got out of there, too.Griffey apparently relied on superior instincts and anticipation to avoid the indignity of singing for the established Hall of Famers.They tried it with me, but I acted like I had to go to the bathroom, Griffey said.Their challenges were different, but equally imposingThe definitive video from Piazzas formative years came when he was 15 years old, and Ted Williams visited the family home near Philadelphia to watch him hit off a machine in a batting cage. For as long as anyone can remember, Piazza was a cage rat and a grinder.I just think of the way he worked to get here, said Vince Piazza, Mikes father. If you did that today with your kid, theyd get you for child abuse. I would never let up on him. He would go to sleep at night, and Id put a gripper in each hand and he had to do 100 squeezes before he went to sleep. It was, Hey Dad, whatever you throw at me, Ill take it and do some more. He was a workaholic -- and it paid off.Griffeys smooth swing and athletic gifts obscured a love for the game and a natural tendency to hurtle into walls in pursuit of baseballs. Its a wonder he didnt spend more time on the disabled list early in his career.There was always a tug-and-pull and a responsibility to follow his fathers footsteps and live up to a reputation, Buhner said. When youre labeled a five-tool guy, especially at an early age, there are going to be some distractions. Year after year, you saw the maturity start to sink in, and you knew he was going to be a special player. I think [his wife] Melissa was his foundation. She kicked him in the ass and kept him in line.They have a kinship with their citiesWhen Griffey was a senior at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati and it began to become clear that Seattle would pick him first in the draft, he asked his father, Ken Sr., Wheres Seattle?After breaking in with the Mariners as a 19-year-old rookie in 1989, Griffey played in the same outfield with his father, scored the climactic run in Seattles stirring 1995 division win over the New York Yankees, hit 417 home runs and made 10 All-Star teams in a Seattle uniform.Randy Johnson made five All-Star teams in Seattle and won his first Cy Young Award as a Mariner, but entered the Hall of Fame in an Arizona Diamondbacks cap. Edgar Martinez was such a dominant designated hitter that baseballs top DH award is named after him, but he has yet to surpass 43.4 percent of the vote in a year. So the honor of Seattles only Hall of Famer rests with Griffey, and he carries it with pride.I spent 13 years there, Griffey said. I met my wife there. Trey and Taryn were born there. I have so many friends who still live there. I came from Cincinnati, where its black and white. You go to Seattle and its a melting pot. You see everybody. My first two years, I lived downtown. They have such a warm heart there. Theres not a mean spirit. People care about each other.Even now when I go downtown, its, Hey Ken. How you doing? Congratulations. The other question is, When are you going to own the team? Piazza joins Tom Seaver, who entered the Hall of Fame with 98.8 percent of the vote in 1992, as the second player to enter in a Mets cap. Gary Carter, a big part of the Mets 1986 world championship team, went into the Hall of Fame as a Montreal Expo.Piazzas emotional ties to New York are most profound whenever clips are shown of his 2001 home run that propelled the Mets past Atlanta in the first game back from the World Trade Center attacks. Almost 15 years after the two-run shot cleared the fence at Shea Stadium, Piazza is a constant witness to the impact the moment has had on others. It was a recurrent theme on Hall of Fame weekend.The significance for me, personally, is the amount of people I see who want to talk about that moment, Piazza said. I was sitting on a plane one time with my headphones on. It was a four-hour flight, and just as the plane was landing, the guy next to me said, You know, I lost my brother on 9/11, and I was at that game and I just want to thank you for what you did. I was completely blown away. I listened to him and told him a few stories and he really enjoyed it.Piazza maintains, to this day, that the first responders, firefighters, police and families who had to move on from 9/11 were the true heroes. If entering the Hall of Fame in a Mets cap can enhance the positive feelings he provided during an indescribably low point for the city and the nation, hes on board.The way I feel about it, this is a gift to the Mets, Piazza said. Coming to the cauldron of New York after playing on the West Coast [with the Dodgers] in a more laid-back atmosphere, it was different. But it made me better. To join Tom Seaver, and everything he encompasses as such a legendary Met, is something thats very meaningful to me. Buy Nike Shox .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Nike Shox Clearance . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. http://www.shoxnikesalecheap.com/ . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Nike Shox Buy Online .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Shox Outlet . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. ZAGREB, Croatia -- Argentina won its first Davis Cup title on Sunday when Federico Delbonis swept past Ivo Karlovic in straight sets to complete a stunning 3-2 comeback win over Croatia.Delbonis dropped to the ground after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory. His teammates fell into each others arms and celebrated in front of thousands of Argentine fans in the packed Arena Zagreb.Players danced around the huge Davis Cup trophy and fans, including soccer great Diego Maradona, chanted and waved Argentinian flags.This was the first Davis Cup title for Argentina in the fifth final it has played since 1981. Croatia won in 2005.Going into the reverse singles Sunday, the Croats were leading 2-1 in the best-of-five-series after winning the doubles on Saturday.Juan Martin Del Potro then rallied from two sets down to beat Marin Cilic 6-7 (4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 as Argentina drew level at 2-2.Delpo showed his huge heart after turning around the match that looked lost, said Argentina team captain Daniel Orsanic. Federico played a perfect match under huge pressure. Im really proud to be part of this fantastic team.With the victory, Argentina became only the third team to come back from 2-1 down in the final since the World Group Davis Cup format was introduced in 1981.Delbonis went up a break in the first two sets and added two more in the third when Karlovic sent a forehand wide for the victory.The 41st-ranked Argentine passed the big-serving Croat veteran at ease throughout the 2:09-hour match.This is fabulous, Delbonis said. We somewhat felt we could do it despite trailing after the doubles.Karlovic, who returned to the Croatian team after a four-year absence, said he was hugely disappointed.Maybe Ill feel better tomorrow, but tonight it is awful, he said.The comeback started with Del Potros heroics that included a finger injury in the fifth set against Cilic.I was calm, I hoped all the time that I could win and I did it, said Del Potro, displaying a bandage on his little finger on his non-racket left hand.He ssaid the injury happened in the fifth set while he was trying to catch a ball.ddddddddddddIm very happy to hand my team a chance of a victory, Del Potro said.The match at Arena Zagreb that lasted nearly five hours saw plenty of drama created by two players with similar styles.It is very difficult to lose such an important match, Cilic said. I feel a lot of disappointment.Cilic had a furious start to race to a 3-0 lead including a break in Del Potros first service game. The Croat capitalized on the first of three break points with a cracking forehand winner.Del Potro fought back in the seventh game with Cilic under pressure at deuce. Two ground strokes, first a forehand long then a looping backhand, saw Del Potro break at the sixth attempt.In the tiebreaker, Cilic raced to a 5-0 lead to seal the game with a slice backhand down the line that Del Potro could not control.Under pressure after losing his fourth straight tiebreaker during the finals, Del Potro started the second set slowly and dropped his serve in the fifth game with a double fault and another in the seventh at love.At that point, Cilic seemed to be cruising toward victory with some spectacular ground strokes that the tired-looking Argentine watched in disbelief.But then Del Potro, who has recovered after two injury-hit years, showed the form he displayed in beating now top-ranked Andy Murray as Argentina knocked out holder Britain in the semifinals.He broke Cilic in the 12th and 10th games in the third and fourth sets respectively to send the match into the decider.After losing the third set, I was still confident I could win as he looked tired, Cilic said. I started pushing a bit too hard, handing him a chance for a comeback.Trailing 15-40 in the eighth game of the final set, Cilic sent a forehand beyond the baseline to give Del Potro the decisive break. He served out the match to keep Argentina alive. Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '