turned 26 on Tuesday

Reaching Major League Soccers playoffs in just their second season in the league is a significant achievement for Montreal Impact, but the clubs late season form has somewhat spoiled the party. cheap jerseys . Montreal head to Houston for the Eastern Conference Knockout Round match on Thursday (live on TSN at 8:30pm et), but the Impact will need to significantly improve their performance if they are to stand any chance of success. Its the very definition of backing into the playoffs. Montreals 1-0 loss at Toronto FC in their final game of the regular season took the clubs fate out of their own hands, and ensured a nervous 24 hours waiting and watching other teams trying to snatch their playoff place. Montreal fell from third to fifth during the course of the weekends action, but just held on thanks to New York Red Bulls win over Chicago Fire. It was a situation no-one would have expected in mid-season when the Impact were challenging at the top of the Eastern Conference. Marco Schallibaums men started the season as the form team in MLS, winning their first four matches, and amassing 29 points from 14 matches, but a late season slump saw the Impact drop down the standings. They head into the playoffs having won just once in eight matches and only earning four of a possible 24 points. Only DC United, the leagues worst team, took fewer points in the final eight games. Injuries have been an issue during the final stretch. With Alessandro Nesta and Jeb Brovsky missing games, Montreals depth at the back has been tested, and provided some minutes for youngsters Karl Ouimette, Maxim Tissot and Wandrille Lefevre. In midfield, Argentine Designated Player Hernan Bernadello and Canadian international Patrice Bernier have also spent time on the sidelines. Against Toronto, Montreal did have chances to tie the game and Reds goalkeeper Joe Bendik made some excellent saves, but the first half performance from the Impact was flat and the midfield battle was lost. Midfield is one of Houstons strengths, and Montreals ability to grasp control of that area will likely go a long way to determining the outcome of the match. Boniek Garcia, Warren Creavalle, Ricardo Clark and Brad Davis have the ability to dictate the tempo and run the game from midfield so the Impact will need to ensure they dont allow the Dynamo to dominate that area of the pitch. Houston secured a playoff place thanks to a 2-1 win at DC United on the final day of the regular season and finished the season quite strongly, winning four of their last seven. One of those victories came against Montreal earlier this month, when they beat the Impact 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium with an early goal from Ricardo Clark. The Dynamo will have home advantage. They also have the benefit of having been in this position before. They won at Chicago Fire last year in the Knockout Round on their way to reaching MLS Cup for the second successive season. So Houston are clear favourites, but the Impact have matched up well against the Dynamo this year. In fact, in the two games played at Stade Saputo Montreal dominated against Houston, winning 2-0 in June, and then demolishing the Dynamo 5-0 in August. Even in the 1-0 loss in Texas a few weeks ago, Montreal had a few good chances to tie the game and could also have had a penalty called in their favour. Plus with 20 goal Marco Di Vaio in the ranks, theres always the chance they will get a goal. They just need to ensure the Italian gets the service he needs. Its set up to be an entertaining night in Texas. There has to be a winner, so if the match is tied after 90 minutes, there could be extra time and penalties. The winner will move on to the Eastern Conference Semifinal to face the MLS Supporters Shield winners New York Red Bulls over two legs, with the first match being played on Sunday. Montreal Impact at Houston Dynamo is live on MLS on TSN on Thursday night. The action starts at 8:30pm et on TSN with Luke Wileman, Jason deVos and Kristian Jack. cheap jerseys from china . NBA executive vice-president for basketball operations Stu Jackson announced the fine Tuesday. The league also upgraded the flagrant foul 1 Ibakas was given for hitting Griffin as the two battled for position in the paint to a Flagrant Foul 2, meaning Ibaka should have been ejected from the game. Ray Ban Sunglasses Discount . Edgin was 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA in 11 appearances. New York manager Terry Collins says the team sent the left-hander to Binghamton rather than Triple-A Las Vegas so he can be recalled quickly if needed, and to keep him out of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League as he tries to regain his confidence. http://www.cheapjerseyfromchina.us.com/ . The Phillies got him seven. Lee sparkled in eight strong innings, striking out seven, and Chase Utley knocked in four runs to lead Philadelphia to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. cheap jerseys china . Vick took part in a morning walkthrough on Wednesday, but didnt practice in the afternoon. wholesale jerseys . Thursday, all be it in a more luxurious style, Paris St. Germain retraced Celtics 1931 Atlantic voyage ahead of Sunday evenings Herbalife World Football Challenge encounter against the European Champions. This time, the $2 billion House that George built will open its world famous gates and lush lawn for the inaugural football match to be staged at the luxurious V2 HQ of the 27-time World Series champions.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Jermichael Finley is ready for the increased expectations that are sure to come with his increased salary. The Green Bay Packers opted to pay their mercurial tight end a $3 million roster bonus rather than cut him by 4 p.m. EDT Monday afternoon. Though Finley swears he wasnt watching the clock, he took to Twitter shortly after the deadline passed, saying, "Ecstatic 2 b back w (at)packers. Best place on earth." "Its a great opportunity to stay with a great organization and a great quarterback to move forward and win more championships," Finley told the (Milwaukee) Journal Sentinel. "Im ready to take my game to another level. Every player wants to achieve as much as possible. In my case, I want to get back to what I know and thats playing great football." The Packers have long been enamoured with Finleys size -- hes 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds -- speed and strength. Not only is he a big target for Aaron Rodgers, but he draws multiple defenders and can block just about anyone. He set a Packers record for receptions by a tight end last season, finishing with 61 catches for 676 yards and two touchdowns. But there were some who wondered if his inconsistency early in the season made him expendable. Finley dropped numerous balls and complained about his role in the offence. "I really felt Jermichael Finley was a different man, a different player from the bye week on,&quuot; coach Mike McCarthy said after the Packers lost to San Francisco in the playoffs. cheap nfl jerseys. "I feel very good about the way he finished the year. ... But we obviously have to look at the first half, too, and make sure thats part of the evaluation because were all judged on 17 games." Despite his increased price tag -- his salary this season will be $8.25 million -- Finleys youth and potential convinced the Packers he was worth keeping. Green Bay also couldnt afford to let another big piece of their offence go, having already lost top receiver Greg Jennings to rival Minnesota and tight end Tom Crabtree to Tampa Bay. "I love the expectations that I have to meet this year," Finley said. "I have to make it happen." Finley, who turned 26 on Tuesday, told the Journal Sentinel (http://bit.ly/YxN6Mf ) he learned from last years up-and-down season. The approach he had in the second half of the season is the one he knows hell need to have in the future. "Its all about letting my play speak," he said. "Its all about letting my ability do its job. Thats what Im going to do this year and I guarantee Ill be relaxed and be the player I know I can be." NOTES: The Packers signed kicker Giorgio Tavecchio. The former California kicker appeared in three preseason games for San Francisco last year, converting his only field goal attempt and two extra points. cheap jerseys ' ' '