Wir suchen Dich! » n team with playoff aspirations.

After seven years of failure, it finally seems as though Toronto FC is moving in the right direction. With Major League Soccers youngest general manager Tim Bezbatchenko at the helm and the vastly experienced Tim Leiweke heading up the organization, we are starting to see encouraging signs as the foundation is laid for a much improved roster in 2014. Of course, there have been many false dawns before at a club that has changed direction far too many times in its short history, but this time it feels different. There actually seems to be a plan being carried out by people who have the ability, knowledge and relationships to get the job done. The signing of24-year-old Brazilian forward Gilberto as a Designated Player on Friday could be a major piece of the puzzle, but other moves made this week also give an indication that progress is being made. Jacksons arrival from FC Dallas provides the club with some MLS experience as well as someone who can play in a number of different positions. The trade of Stefan Frei along with re-signing of Joe Bendik ensured the goalkeeping situation was dealt with in a timely manner. The fact that these moves are being made in early December instead of March is a welcome change. At Toronto FCs Downsview Park training facility, “the war room” as Bezbatchenko likes to call it has a board with long lists of players they are chasing. The moves the club is making are calculated. There are top targets, and many back-up plans as the GM and his team work through a process paying great attention to detail, determined to get the best fit possible for their club in both a football and financial sense. They have made no secret of their intention to sign a big-name Designated Player. Jermain Defoe is set to join the club in January from Tottenham Hotspur, but he is just one of four or five top level DPs the club has targeted. Plan B, C and D are all on stand-by in case there is a last minute hitch with the England forward, although I understand the deal has already been agreed to to bring Defoe to Toronto for a transfer fee that could rise as high as $13 million. Beyond the DP signings there are also two or three other key players Bezbatchenko expects to bring in. Dwayne De Rosario is a potential target, but only if the deal is right. TFC certainly wont overpay to bring the veteran home. Bezbatchenko is taking a methodical approach that will hopefully ensure the club isnt left scrambling in preseason looking to sign players as has been the case on so many previous occasions. This year, there should be no need for 10 players to turn up for a preseason trial in Orlando, or for multiple players to be rushed to the border to activate work permits on the afternoon before the season opener. There was even an occasion a few years ago where a deal was done so late that a player had to sign his contract in the taxi on the way from the airport to the stadium for the first game of the season! I sense those days are over. When talking with Tim Bezbatchenko it is easy to see he has a plan. He also has the relationships within the league to assist in making that plan work. In the tight knit community of Major League Soccer, the importance of having relationships with other clubs, agents and players cannot be underestimated, and having worked at league office, Bezbatchenko has earned respect across MLS. Toronto FC fans have the right to be skeptical - they have seen failure too many times before. But with three months until the new season begins, the club is finally starting to deliver on its promises, and that is an extremely big step forward for a franchise that cannot afford to fail again. Oskar Lindblom Flyers Jersey . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday. Samuel Morin Flyers Jersey . "First, I would like to offer my deepest and sincerest apologies for any harm I have inflicted on University of Missouri defensive lineman, Michael Sam," the statement read. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/claude-giroux-jersey/. -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. Jaromir Jagr Flyers Jersey . LOUIS -- When Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky backpedaled into shallow right field to catch the popup and Jason Heyward didnt arrive fast enough to take charge, Kolten Wong got the green light. Travis Sanheim Jersey . -- Oakland Athletics starting pitchers Jarrod Parker and A.NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis and Brian Roberts proved a pair of second-year players can carry the young Pelicans to a victory over a veteran team with playoff aspirations. Davis had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Roberts scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, and New Orleans beat the Atlanta Hawks 105-100 on Wednesday night. "Im always telling our guys, Everybody has written you guys off, so what do you have to lose? Just go out there and play. Ive got your back either way," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. Paul Millsap had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost two in a row. DeMarre Carroll added 22 points. "Roberts made some big shots," said Hawks guard Jeff Teague, who had 11 points and 13 assists. "We just got stagnant on defence. Our intensity on defence just wasnt there. We didnt play with attention to detail in the last couple of plays." Davis and Roberts made Atlanta pay, each scoring six points in the final 3:40. Davis has been stellar all season, and his performance against Atlanta marked the 16th time hes had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in the same game. Roberts only recently moved into a starting role at point guard because of Jrue Holidays stress fracture in his right shin. Roberts made only one of five shots in the first half before turning in one of the best second halves of his young career. "Hes growing up and he understands when to make plays," Davis said. Roberts did have one glaring error when he had a turnover that led to a score during a late 7-0 Atlanta run that trimmed the Hawks 10-point deficit to three with a little less than a minute left. Roberts made up for it with a running, off-balance floater on New Orleans next possession to make it 100-95 with 20 seconds to go. "That was a tough turnover right there," Roberts said. "I just try to move on and focus on the nextt play.dddddddddddd. ... I was going to get it back and I was able to make that floater and finish them off." Eric Gordon added 18 points and Anthony Morrow 16 for the Pelicans, who have won six of their last nine games. Atlanta was in position to win when Mike Scotts 3-pointer capped an 8-0 run and gave the Hawks an 83-76 lead with 7:45 to play, but the Pelicans then ran off nine straight points to regain the lead. "Thats a tough loss for our group," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said, referring to his clubs blown fourth-quarter lead. "Our execution needs to improve when were in that situation." The Hawks led for the entire third quarter, taking their largest lead at 54-47 on Carrolls 3 12 seconds into the period. Scott hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for the Hawks, while Lou Williams had 11 points. The teams stayed within single digits of each other for nearly the entire game. The largest lead for either team was 10 for New Orleans after Davis free throws late in the fourth quarter. That lead lasted all of 8 seconds before Scott hit a 3. Atlanta had 14 3s on 30 attempts from deep, with Carroll hitting four. The Hawks had one stretch in which they hit nine straight 3-point attempts -- their last four of the second quarter and first five of the third. The Pelicans, however, scored 20 points on free throws, while Atlanta had only 10. New Orleans also outrebounded Atlanta 50-38. NOTES: The Pelicans have scheduled a ceremony on Thursday to rename the New Orleans Arena as the Smoothie King Center. Pelicans officials confirmed to The Associated Press and several other media outlets on Wednesday afternoon that they had reached a 10-year naming rights agreement with the Louisiana-based company. ... Davis blocked one shot, ending a streak of seven games in which hed blocked at least four. ... Atlantas Kyle Korver was 2 for 5 from 3-point range. ' ' '