AFL premiers Hawthorn strove this week to balance the celebration-distraction aspect of Sam Mitchells 300-game milestone against Richmond on Sunday.While coach Alastair Clarkson said the popular midfielders achievements were emphasised in the lead-up to the occasion, it wouldnt be a pre-game focus in the MCG dressing rms.We acknowledged it in the appropriate manner, but we dont want it to overshadow the importance of just trying to get a win. He will remember his 300th game more fondly if we can get a win this week, Clarkson said.There are times when emotion can get you up, whether its to do with a milestone or something else. But there are also times when emotion can be draining and weve seen that in our more recent history where things have happened during the week and we havent been spot on the following weekend.Its just one time you get a brief time to reflect on the contribution of an individual. We never try to make it t much about the individual because its still a team sport.You still need 22 guys to do a job for your side. But there is a moment, especially when its 300 games and it takes 15 years to get there, and thats a long time to play at the top level.Hawthorns settled line-up of one change with forward Tim OBrien back at the expense of backman Angus Litherland is a stark contrast to the reshaped Richmond that the Hawks beat by 46 points in early May.You only have to lk at the Adelaide Crows. Its remarkable theyve only used 27 players for the year. Youre always searching for that stability and continuity, whether its players or coaches week to week, Clarkson said.Richmonds whole defence is different [from] the round 7 game. They didnt have (Alex) Rance, (David) Astbury and (Dylan) Grimes play that game.Theres a fair difference in personnel and Richmond at that point were in a bit of a trough and had won only one or two games and over the last nine weeks theyve won six and lost three. Bruce Brown Jr. Jersey . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Cheap Pistons Jerseys .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. http://www.cheappistonsjerseys.com/ . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Cheap Pistons Jerseys Authentic . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a gd thing. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan.ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Texas Rangers realize theyll have to be resourceful on offence to make the post-season without suspended slugger Nelson Cruz. When they scored eight runs without an extra-base hit Tuesday night, manager Ron Washington was thrilled — but not at all surprised. "Whats the difference between small-ball and winning baseball?" he asked. "Aggression is always going to be our game." Adrian Beltre drove in the tiebreaking run in the eighth, Yu Darvish pitched seven solid innings, and the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 for their eighth win in nine games. Elvis Andrus had three hits and scored the go-ahead run as the Rangers won their third straight and moved within one game of AL West-leading Oakland, which lost at Cincinnati. The Rangers broke open a tight game with Beltres single against Kevin Jepsen (1-3), and they poured it on with a symphony of small-ball brilliance with a four-run ninth. Texas pounded out 12 singles, stole six bases, capitalized on errors and wild pitches, and got a crafty effort from Darvish (11-5) without his best stuff. To Washington, thats Rangers baseball in its purest form. "It was quite exciting to be able to go out there and play the game we love to play," Washington said. "It was a night when it all came together, but its always been an emphasis. I call that winning baseball." Texas batted around in the ninth against Los Angeles hapless bullpen — with help from two more stolen bases. Craig Gentry scored all the way from second base when Calhoun botched a grounder at first, and Andrus singled home Leonys Martin — who had just stolen second even as the Angels pitched out — before Beltre added another RBI single. "We have to create opportunities for ourselves," Andrus said. "We have to put balance in our offence. We lost a power guy (in Cruz), but we know we can create opportunities and score runs. You dont always win games hitting homers." Darvish allowed eight hits in his least effective start since returning from the disabled list late last month, but the majors strikeouts leader still escaped a seventh-inning jam and got the win. Darvish added six more strikeouts to his total, but also walked three after allowing multiple homers in the same inning for the first time in his major league career. The Japanese right-hander had allowed just one earned run in his previous three starts combined. Tanner Scheppers pitched two scoreless innings for his first save of the season. Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout led off the first inning with back-to-back homers for the Angels, who have lost nine of 12. Los Angeles held a closed-drs team meeting after the Rangers schled them in practically every fine aspect of the game — particularly with those season-worst six stolen bases allowed, which manager Mike Scioscia blamed on the Angels pitchers, not catcher Chris Iannetta.dddddddddddd "This is about the inability of some of our pitchers to make some adjustments they need to make," Scioscia said. "And the reality of it is, if this is going to become an instructional league, we have to make some changes, because guys up here should be able to do a better job." Grant Green had his first two major league hits in his debut for the Angels, who have lost nine of 11 meetings with the division rival Rangers this season. Los Angeles has struggled against aggressive baserunning teams all season, but the Rangers turned it up another notch. "Weve got to do a better job of shutting down the running game as a team," Iannetta said. "Thats our focus. They picked their spots really well." Calhoun and Trout delivered two-out singles against Darvish in the seventh, but Josh Hamilton flied to centre on Darvishs 113th pitch. Hamilton went 0 for 4 against his former Texas teammates, dropping his average below .220 and making him 2 for 21 on the Angels homestand. The $125 million outfielder is batting .167 (15 for 90) with runners in scoring position in his first season with Los Angeles. Garrett Richards allowed six hits and three runs in a decent six-inning start for the Angels, striking out five. After the Rangers stole two bases and tk a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Richards second wild pitch of the inning, Calhoun and Trout quickly evened it with just the second back-to-back leadoff homers in Angels franchise history. Calhouns homer was the rkies third in a week, while Trout reached base in his 37th consecutive game with his 19th homer. Green got his first major league hit in his first plate appearance for the Angels, who acquired the Anaheim native from Oakland last week in a trade for Alberto Callaspo. With Howie Kendrick sidelined at least until the weekend with a sprained left knee, Green came up from the minors and immediately started at second base. NOTES: Engel Beltre moved over to right field after David Murphy misplayed two balls at the position Monday night in the Rangers first game without Cruz. ... The Angels hit back-to-back homers for just the second time all year. Albert Pujols and Hamilton did it July 10. ... Trout is the first player to hit three career homers off Darvish. ... Green went 0 for 15 in his first major league experience with Oakland last month. ' ' '