Alles über Ajay Devgan » vying for playing time in the secondary

Ramkumar Ramanathan, who opened Indias Davis Cup challenge against Spains Feliciano Lopez in New Delhi on Friday, has stressed on the need for Indian tennis players to mirror the culture and work ethic adopted by the Spanish contingent.Speaking exclusively to ESPN, Ramanathan said that just observing the work put in by Spains athletes shows what makes them such a formidable unit.They work really hard. Thats the key. They do all the things right. Theyre very professional, they have dinner together, they sit down and talk before the matches. I think all that has a big role said Ramanathan.Take their practice sessions. Yesterday Nadal came and practiced for 2 hours, someone like him doesnt need to do that, but he still does. So it shows how much all this means to him and the team.In comparison, Ramanathan did state that a similar work culture and discipline does exist within the Indian team, but it must be scaled up to better prepare Indian players for quality international opposition.Its not like the Indian players havent been doing it but its just that as we grow higher and higher in the rankings, we need to do more. So that when you go into big matches like this it doesnt come as a surprise, youve already done it all before.Ranked 203 in the world, the 21 year old from Chennai put in a spirited display against Lopez, ranked 177 places higher than him, even managing to force the Spaniard to drop a set in the first rubber, that lasted just over 2 hours.?Ramanathan, who looked set to pose a comeback after taking the third set 6-3, went down 6-1 in the fourth, and admitted that Lopezs experience and mental strength taught him a lesson to remember.Its more of a mental game, than a physical one. Even when Feli (Feliciano Lopez) was not feeling great, he found a way to start well in the fourth set and he broke me. Thats where the experience comes in. He showed me how I should have held those games and he showed me what I did wrong.Ramanathan will next play David Ferrer in the reverse singles rubber on Sunday. Ferrer had beaten Saketh Myneni in straight sets to give Spain a 2-0 edge at the end of Day one. Cheap Custom Pirates Jersey . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Wholesale Custom Pirates Shirts .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. http://www.custompiratesjersey.com/ . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Custom Pirates T-shirts . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Authentic Custom Pirates Jersey . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- A fresh start in a familiar place is bringing out the best in Nnamdi Asomugha. The four-time All-Pro cornerback felt right at home Saturday as the San Francisco 49ers practiced in pads for the first time in training camp, using the size and press-coverage skills that made him a star during his first stint in the Bay Area. Asomugha is looking to regain the form at age 32 that made him one of the NFLs elite defensive players during his first eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders. And the defending NFC champion 49ers are looking for an upgrade in their secondary, which struggled in the playoffs during the teams run to the Super Bowl last season before losing All-Pro safety Dashon Goldson to free agency earlier this spring. Asomugha, after a forgettable two seasons with Philadelphia, feels he can give the Niners a lift in his return to a region where he also starred during his college days at the University of California. With San Francisco coming off its first trip to the Super Bowl in 18 years, Asomugha has felt a lift of inspiration and incentive as he embraces his new team. The 11th-year veteran has never been to the playoffs. "Theres always this feeling of a fresh start because the previous season has never really been that great," Asomugha said Saturday. "In my career Ive never been on a playoff team, so its never been like were going to build off that playoff year from the year before. The fact that theyre building off the Super Bowl definitely changes the whole landscape of how this season is going mentally for me so far. Its a fresh start, but its building off success." Asomugha needed a fresh start after his time with the Eagles, who were proclaimed a Super Bowl contender after Asomugha signed a five-year, $60 million deal as one of the NFLs top free agents of 2011. But the Eagles faltered during Asomughas two seasons and some wondered whether his best days were behind him. Asomugha ranked near the bottom of starting NFL cornerbacks last season in several statistical categories, and waas released in March when he and the Eagles could not agree on terms of a restructured contract.dddddddddddd Asomugha is putting that behind him with the 49ers, working to find his niche on a team that finished third in the NFL last season in total defence and fourth in passing defence. "Im kind of still letting it play out," Asomugha said. "I think Ive been fitting in well so far just learning the defence and being able to make plays out there. Thats been one of the big things Ive been happy about, my ability to make plays in this defence so far judging out there from the spring and summer. Now that its early in training camp, Im just focusing on getting better." Asomugha will have to earn his spot on the team after signing a modest one-year, $1.35 million deal in April. The 49ers return their top five cornerbacks from 2012, and there also are other newcomers vying for playing time in the secondary: veteran free agent Craig Dahl and rookie first-round draft pick Eric Reid. But defensive co-ordinator Vic Fangio is known for his aggressive style, and his system that mixes man and zone coverage appears to be a good fit for Asomugha, who calls it, "a really nice scheme. The aggressive nature of this defence is just really good. And the players that are around this defence helps anybody out." Asomugha will have to be able to help the 49ers in coverage situations if hes to find success again in the Bay Area, where he played in three Pro Bowls with the Raiders. His NFL experience and knowledge have been a plus so far, but his time in San Francisco will be determined by his ability to lock down on wide receivers. "The hunger is definitely there," Asomugha said. "Its definitely a different culture. The whole environment is a lot more positive, a lot more upbeat, a lot more optimistic. And its true optimism. Its not like all the 32 teams in the league coming in and saying this is the year were going to win the Super Bowl. Its coming from a real place. Ive never been around that." ' ' '