SUZUKA, Japan -- Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe brushed off suggestions that sabotage was behind Lewis Hamiltons engine failure at last weekends Malaysian Grand Prix.Hamilton was leading on lap 41 of 56 at the Sepang International Circuit when his engine blew, handing the race lead and ultimately victory to Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.The frustrated Hamilton was furious after the Malaysian race, and hinted at perhaps something more than bad luck.Someone doesnt want me to win this year, but I wont give up. I will keep pushing, Hamilton said on Sunday.With five races left in the season, it will be difficult for Hamilton to make up the deficit to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who holds a 23-point lead in the championship race.Speaking after Fridays practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix, Lowe said that wasnt what Hamilton was suggesting.I cant agree with you that the driver hinted there was sabotage, Lowe said when asked whether such a thing would be possible. Lewis has been very clear, certainly with us, that thats completely out of the question.Lowe admitted that the team had let Hamilton down but said any suggestion of sabotage was wrong.Weve had other failures in the year that are very unfortunate and if we were good enough to arrange such sabotage we wouldnt have any failures, Lowe said. Its a very tough business, Formula One. The engineering is operating right at the boundary of performance and things do go wrong.Rosberg has finished second behind Hamilton in Suzuka the last two years. He was fastest in Fridays practice session, edging Hamilton but only seven hundredths of a second.A win on Sunday would move the German driver a step closer to his first championship while delivering a serious blow to Hamiltons chances for a third consecutive title. Phil Jackson Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Bobby Portis Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. https://www.cheapknicks.com/1321x-rj-barrett-jersey-knicks.html . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. Allan Houston Jersey . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . John Starks Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. DALLAS -- Unsigned for two years since the release of the horrific video of him punching his then-fiancee, Ray Rice says his second chance has come through his choice to speak out against domestic violence.The former Baltimore running back still wants to resume his NFL career, and he doesnt begrudge Greg Hardy for getting the opportunity that he so far hasnt. Rice just wishes the former Dallas defensive end had used the platform of playing the same way Rice has tried to make amends.What I wanted to see him do with his second chance would have been a lot different, Rice said Wednesday after joining a Big 12 Conference-sponsored panel to discuss violence against women on college campuses.I would have loved to see him advocate and be a positive force and take the right steps going forward, he said. I wish Greg nothing but success in life. I never wish bad on anyone. And I hope that he can take some steps to move in the right direction going forward.Hardys one season with the Cowboys didnt do much to quell criticism the team received for signing him after his domestic violence case in North Carolina. The former Carolina Panthers standout made light of the 9/11 attacks on Twitter, had an inappropriate comment about New England quarterback Tom Bradys wife and a physical altercation with a Cowboys assistant coach during a game.After photos of Hardys bruised ex-girlfriend were released, his production dropped significantly. Dallas owner and general manager Jerry Jones ultimately decided not to re-sign him after initially answering critics by saying he wanted to give Hardy a long-term deal.The same week that the now-unsigned Hardy was arrested on a cocaine possession charge in a Dallas suburb, Rice made his latest appearance to discuss his life since the videos that derailed his career .The first showed his now-wife, Janay Rice, being dragged unconscious out of a hotel elevator in New Jersey. The second showed the punch that knocked her out, leading to his release by the Ravens and an indefinite suspension from the NFL. That ban was overturned in court, but another team hasnt signed him.A Super Bowl winner following the 2012 season, Rice played his last game on Dec. 29, 2013.I think the one thing I can take from it is Im not out there saying I deserve a second chance, said Rice, who has 6,180 yards rushing in six seasons. I used to have contrrol over that, my playing days.ddddddddddddBut I know thats out of my control. And I think what I control now is how many people can I help, whether Im playing or not.Rice speaks to high school and college athletes, repeating his refrain that he spent too much time trying to be the man instead of a man. He says there are no excuses for domestic violence, alcohol or otherwise -- lessons he says he learned with therapy and other conversations with experts on the topic. One of the participants at the Dallas session was Brenda Tracy, who has publicly taken her story of rape by Oregon State football players to teams including those at Baylor following the schools sexual assault scandal.To those who question his motives, Rice points to his stable family life -- his wife, 4-year-old daughter and infant son.I dont have a situation at home thats broken, Rice said. I have a wife and I have a son and I have a daughter that have to grow up with their father, who made a terrible decision in life. And I have to explain that to them.After the Big 12 panel, Rice was asked what he would say to Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, who was suspended for a year after punching a woman in the face in a restaurant but is in his second season with the Sooners. Mixon hasnt addressed his case publicly, and Rice said thats an important step.While there is video of Mixons incident, it hasnt been nearly as widely viewed as those involving Rice.The more I learned about it, it shouldnt take a visual to understand what domestic violence is, Rice said. You have to get it. It shouldnt take a video. Youre just taking full responsibility. And I had to learn that. It wasnt about the drinking and things like that. No, I was wrong. Thats it.And if thats not enough to get Rice back on the field, hes OK with it.I would know that I didnt give up, said Rice, who turns 30 in January. You will never hear the words out of my mouth saying I gave up. I want to play football. Im not going to say I dont. But I think me being here today is going to have a greater impact than any touchdown Ill ever score, or have ever scored.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler ' ' '