Wir suchen Dich! » Angeles.Parker wants a chance to be in

The moment the checkered flag dropped at Martinsville, I began considering what a seventh title for Jimmie Johnson would mean to our sport.For most of my life, I felt Jeff Gordon would be the only human capable of matching the monumental feat of seven championships that only?Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt?have accomplished -- and then along came Jimmie.We have been tempted by this happening for a couple of years, since Johnson won his sixth in 2013, but this is the closest its come to a reality.Jimmie Johnsons chances in my opinion? Pretty damned good!Heres why:Johnson is the winningest driver on 1.5-mile tracks. He is very good on all other disciplines, but the intermediate tracks seem to be where he shines brightest.He has a phenomenal ability to extract everything from a race car on 180-190 mph unrestricted racetracks.Crew chief Chad Knaus is the Bill Belichick of NASCAR. He thinks progressively, innovates, elevates his crew members to a level they might not have thought possible. But most importantly, imagine the advantage the Patriots would have if Belichick had nearly three weeks to prepare for one team, one game.So give that same advantage to the 48 in Miami.Actions speak louder than wordsJimmie Johnson has never been a trash-talking in-your-face personality or athlete.He gives thought-provoking sound bites, answers questions with intellect and intrigue. He doesnt say what hes going to do; he explains how he will go about doing it.Johnson is not only among the greatest drivers we have ever seen, but he is also among the most sincere we have ever heard.Theres no B.S. in his discussions. Its all authentic. Johnson empties the tank in expressing himself, the same way he empties the tank on the track.I recognized during my driving career that distraction is among the greatest enemies.So during my 10 years with ESPN, Ive coined, and often used, the expression distraction is poison.Ive never known an athlete who prepares harder, demonstrates more commitment or defies the risks of that expression more than Jimmie Johnson.Johnson and Knaus know better than most you are most vulnerable: when you are at the top.Among the greatest misconceptions in sports is that once you become the champ, the hard work is over.Well, its over if youre satisfied with just one!When you become king of the mountain, youve woken a sleeping giant -- or giants.The 48 Team wont take to Miami what helped them win Charlotte (both 1.5-mile tracks) a couple of weeks ago.They will enhance that strategy with what they have explored and learned since. They will apply and likely capitalize on those lessons.Im not suggesting we hand the trophy to Johnson today; its obviously far from a lock.We dont know who the three are who will do battle with the six-time champ in Florida.We dont what effect the next two races will have on the four teams destined to square off later this month.We do know there is one team that has hoisted the trophy a half-dozen times, a driver locked and loaded with the aim of becoming part of another record. We know his history, and history tells us he seldom fails. Authentic Custom Nuggets Jersey . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Wholesale Custom Nuggets Shirts . 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Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. LOS ANGELES -- Among Candace Parkers favorite Chicago meals is the sort of thing you should ever eat unless you burn calories the way a world-class athlete like Parker does.Chili cheese dog with extra cheese, French fries, chocolate-cake milkshake, she said, laughing. Its very healthy food.Parker, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, will be going home to the Windy City on Sunday for the third -- and potentially decisive -- game of the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA semifinal series with the Chicago Sky. Los Angeles 99-84 victory Friday at Staples Center gave the Sparks a 2-0 series lead. One more victory will earn the Sparks their first trip to the WNBA Finals since 2003.That would be a milestone for Parker, the Sparks No. 1 draft pick in 2008 and a two-time league MVP. She has won everything else in her career except a WNBA title, and in truth she has had a lot of frustration in just trying to advance to the leagues championship series.On the way to the postgame meeting with reporters Friday, Parker mentioned to teammate Nneka Ogwumike that the Sparks have had a some very disappointing trips to the media room during past playoffs.Weve had to do a lot of press conferences talking about next year and what we need to do to improve, Parker said. My rookie year -- it seems like it was just yesterday -- we barely missed the [WNBA] Finals. And when we left the court, I was like, Oh, well be back next year! And that hasnt happened.Parker was referring to the 2008 Western Conference finals, when the Sparks beat San Antonio by 15 points in the series opener, and were 1.3 seconds away from closing out the best-of-three series. But the Stars Sophia Young took an inbounds pass, spun around and tossed up a shot from just inside the arc that bounced in for a 67-66 victory. San Antonio then won the third game, 76-72.The Sparks also lost in the conference finals in 2009 to Phoenix and 2012 to Minnesota. In Parkers career, Los Angeles also has fallen in the conference semifinal four times, including 2-1 to Minnesota last year.So its understandable just how intense the feeling is now for Parker and the Sparks to not let this chance at the WNBA Finals get past them.You have to take advantage of the opportunities you have, Parker said. Weve focused on the little things, while seeing the bigger picture.The Sparks fully expect the Sky to give them a battle Sunday (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET) when facing elimination back at Allstate Arena. But so far in this series, Chicago hasnt been abble to impede the Sparks offense.dddddddddddd. Parker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists Friday. That followed a Game 1 performance in which she had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.Ogwumike won the leagues MVP award, and no one was happier for her than Parker. They have genuinely great chemistry with each other, and that has been critical to the Sparks this season.But these past two games, Parker has played like she wants to make the statement that shes really at her peak for the playoffs.Its important to her, Sparks guard Kristi Toliver said. And we want to win a championship for her. Shes been here the longest, and she just wants it so bad.The Sparks as a unit all have been playing with that kind of fervor. Three other Los Angeles starters scored in double figures Friday as Ogwumike had 18 points, Toliver 15 and Essence Carson 11.Jantel Lavender came off the bench to do her thing in a big way, going 10 of 11 from the field for 20 points, plus 5 rebounds. Alana Beard had 2 points, but her defense was one of the key reasons the Sky shot 38.5 percent from the field (30 of 78).Chicago got a lift off its bench, with Clarissa Dos Santos, Jamierra Faulkner and Allie Quigley combining for 40 points. But with the Sparks shooting 53.7 percent from the field (36 of 67) -- including 10 of 23 from behind the arc -- Chicago, which is without injured Elena Delle Donne, just didnt have anywhere near the firepower to stay with Los Angeles.Parker wants a chance to be in the WNBA Finals, and she would be pumped up for Sundays game no matter where it was played. But the fact that its in Chicago is especially meaningful for her.Im excited to play in front of my family and my friends and some people who were there from my first game in high school, she said. Its a lot of fun to go home. Some really talented basketball players have come out of Chicago, and it was very competitive for me growing up.Parker can impact games in so many ways, and that has been something Sparks coach Brian Agler has seen her do at a high level all season.When shes playing like she is right now, shes clearly one of the best in the world, he said. To me, it has a lot to with focus and her desire and passion. Shes been a really good leader for us this year and a tremendous teammate. I think were having this year because of how she has tried to elevate everybodys play. ' ' '