LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw gripped a baseball in his left hand and grimaced while he watched Game 5 of the NL Championship Series from the dugout.The Los Angeles Dodgers best pitcher was ready and eager, and he was sitting on three days of rest. Manager Dave Roberts could have deployed him Thursday night in Chavez Ravine and probably again in relief at Wrigley Field.Roberts declined to play his ace, instead holding his top card for the weekend. The Dodgers decided to rely on rookie Kenta Maeda and their busy bullpen against the NLs best offense.Those pitchers hung in for the first three hours, but eventually proved to be no match for Jon Lester in the Chicago Cubs 8-4 victory. Los Angeles now trails the NLCS 3-2 after getting outscored 18-6 in two straight home games.But the Dodgers didnt sound discouraged as they packed up for their flight.We can grab that momentum by one name, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. Kershaw.Although Roberts has already proven unafraid to do unorthodox things with his pitchers in October, he stuck to a conventional plan to save Kershaw for Game 6.And instead of pitching to clinch a pennant Saturday night, Kershaw must attempt to save the Dodgers season again.Weve got Clayton going in Game 6, so thats a game we expect to win, Roberts said.Kershaw volunteered to pitch Game 5, but Roberts had several reasons to turn him down.Roberts figured he would need to start Maeda at some point in the next three games, and he hoped the home crowd would benefit the inconsistent Japanese right-hander. With a day off Friday, Roberts also knew he could go deep into his bullpen -- which has thrown a majors-high 43 innings in the postseason -- with no repercussions.Its not an elimination game, Roberts said after Game 4. And I think the accumulation of (Kershaws) usage over the last ten days plays a factor in our decision.Instead of pitching on three days rest in Game 5, Kershaw will be pitching on a luxurious five days rest in Game 6. Although the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner already has pitched 19 1/3 innings in the postseason, a midseason injury kept him off the mound for 2 1/2 months, leaving his arm with much less accumulated action than in a normal season -- 168 1/3 innings combined this year, compared to 246 1/3 last season.Kershaw shrugs off that notion, saying he feels pretty much the same as he did in previous Octobers. The biggest difference is that Kershaw, who acquired a reputation for postseason struggles over the past several seasons, has begun to erase that reputation this fall while he attempts to reach his first World Series.Thats who you want in your decision game, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager said. Were looking forward to the battle.After pitching decently in his two starts in the NL Division Series against Washington, Kershaw dominated the Cubs with seven innings of two-hit ball in Game 2, and closer Kenley Jansen finished off a 1-0 victory.Regardless of the success of this call, Roberts has made a series of canny decisions in the postseason. His clever pitching staff management in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington thrilled long-suffering fans who found manager Don Mattingly too reactive.Roberts used setup man Joe Blanton in the third inning, kept Jansen in for 51 pitches and seven outs, and went to Kershaw to close out a 4-3 thriller.Although Kershaw wasnt chosen for Game 5, Roberts clearly didnt have much faith in the alternative, pulling Maeda after just 3 2/3 innings and 76 pitches.Maeda trailed 1-0 after three batters in Game 5, but after striking out two Cubs to end the first, he held them without a hit until Javier Baezs leadoff double in the fourth. Moments later, Roberts curiously pulled him with Lester coming up for Chicago.Roberts said he thought Maedas stuff was fading, and he decided to rely on his high-mileage bullpen.I was a little surprised, Maeda said through a translator.The Dodgers bullpen kept it even until the sixth, when Addison Russell hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Blanton, one of Roberts most reliable arms until recently.The wheels fell off for Los Angeles in Chicagos five-run eighth inning, turning a tense game into a second straight blowout victory. The Cubs are one win away from a chance to end the championship drought that dwarfs all others, but Kershaw will finally get another shot to shut them down.We all know what we have in front of us with Kershaw going into Game 6, Cubs lefty Jon Lester said after his win Thursday. Hopefully hes not the good Kershaw, and we get kind of the mediocre guy that gives up a few runs and were able to hold them where theyre at.The Dodgers are eager to see their ace at his best.We have Kershaw going the next game, which were excited about, said Blanton, who gave up two homers and five runs to the Cubs in Game 1 after four scoreless appearances against the Nationals. Our backs are against the wall, but we kind of like that. Weve been there the whole year. We were in this situation in Washington, too. Maybe its where we need to be. Nike Presto Fly Homme . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Nike Presto Ultra Br Homme . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.basketairmax-pascher.fr/air-max-97-pas-cher/air-max-97-unisex.html .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Chaussures Homme Air Max 97 . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Nike Vapormax Cdg . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Vinny Paz was the sort of fighter you dont forget. Everything about him was hyper, supercharged with the frantic energy of someone born without brakes.He was a cocky, over-the-top extrovert who called himself the Pazmanian Devil and once posed for a boxing magazine wearing a red cape and horns. But when he fought it was with unrestrained passion that belied his cartoonish persona.Vinny didnt always win, but he won 50 of his 60 pro fights and never gave less than everything he had. He was one of those guys who grins through the blood and keeps coming, and his loyal fans, the Pazmaniacs, were crazy about him from start to finish.The greatest measure of his indomitable spirit was returning to the ring just 13 months after breaking his neck in a 1991 auto accident. Told he might not even walk again, let along box, Vinny did what he always did. He took his fate into his own hands and went for it, working out against his doctors order while still encased in a circular metal brace screwed into the skull.Thats the kind of fighter Paz was and the kind of guy he still is, somebody who devours life and all its vagaries head-on. He turned pro in 1983 and fought his last fight in 2004, 21 years of high highs and low lows that have now been turned into a biopic called Bleed For This.Paz was headed home in his car when he answered the phone. He was leaving Rhode Island for California the next day for the movie premier and a media blitz, so he had to do the interview on the fly. After telling his raucous traveling companions to keep it down, Vinnie dove right into the topic at hand. Here, then, in his own words, are Paz Mans brutally candid memories of the best five fights of his career.W15 Greg Haugen IBF lightweight title -- June 7, 1987; Providence, Rhode IslandThe setup: We were the last two boxers in history to fight 15 rounds. I was psyched. I hated Haugen. He was a little punk bitch. The day of the fight I was as sick as a dog because I was struggling to make weight. When I finally made it, I pigged out and started throwing up -- diarrhea, too. They wanted call it off the fight, but I said, Dont call it off. Im OK. Dont worry about it. Im gonna fight. I thought if they changed the fight to another date, it would never happen.The fight: It was a rough and tumble. I won the fight in the 13th, 14th and 15th rounds. I was losing going into those rounds but I pulled it out at the end and I won a unanimous decision. I just wanted it more -- more heart, more determination, more perseverance. And I came out on top. All three judges had it 144-141.The aftermath: After that belt was mine, I felt great. It was the greatest feeling in my life. That day was special. I remember staying up all night, waiting for the Providence Journal to come out in the morning. I was on the front page. Haugen called me the other week. One of my buddies put him on the phone with me. I said, Dude, I still dont like you. What are you doing calling me?KO 12 Gilbert Dele WBA junior middleweight title -- Oct. 1, 1991; Providence, Rhode IslandThe setup: I fought at 132 pounds as an amateur but was never a really lightweight as a pro. By the time I fought Dele Id moved up to junior middleweight, where I felt great.The fight: Dele was pressing me so freakin hard. He put more pressure on me than anybody. If I werent so determined to win, that sucker would have worn me down. If you go back and watch that fight, youll see I was moving the whole time -- every second, every minute for almost 12 rounds. I didnt stop. I was sharp that fight, really on point. People didnt know I had a good defense because I bled a lot and they thought I was getting killed. But I was pretty cute on the ropes, and in the last round I came off the ropes with a left hook that cracked his jawbone. He walked away from me, bent over and holding his eye. I though, no m----- f-----, you tortured me and youre not getting away with just walking away. I went after him and hit him with another left hook for the finishing touch.The aftermath: The Dele fight was the best of my career. It was also my toughest ever. I beat a guy who was undefeated in 30 fights. Six weeks later I broke my back in a car accident.W 10 Roberto Duran Super middleweight -- June 5, 1994; Las VegasThe setup: I had a lot of respect for Duran. He was one of my heroes, but at the first press conference he was dogging the s--- out of me. I couldnt believe he was talking about me like that, so we went at it, neck and neck. I wasnt going to take no backseat to him. Walking to the ring at the MGM Grand in front of 15,000 people, I said to myself, All right, Paz Man, the crowd is going to be with him.ddddddddddddBut dont bug out. Do what you have to do. They introduced me first and I got such a big round of applause. I couldnt believe it. I thought OK theyre with me. Im gonna kill this guy. But when they introduced Duran, the roof almost came off the building [laughs].The fight: Once the fight started I thought, imagine this guy in his 20s and 30s. I was 33 at the time, but a young 33. He was 42. Duran was defensive master and as mean as they come. At first I couldnt hit him, but as the fight went on, I started reaching him a little bit more. In the fifth round I threw a bomb, and the next thing I know I see the canvas next to my eye. Hed nailed me with a straight right. I got up and went to a neutral corner and put my hand on the rope. I looked out into the crown and locked eyes with Montel Williams. I had done his TV show with my mother a month and a half ago. He was the coolest guy; really, really nice. Montel is cheering me on and pumping his fist in the air. At the end of the round, I chased Duran back to his corner and yelled, I aint going anywhere, Duran. He put his hands up and said, Loco, loco. Thats when I got his respect. I kicked his ass after that.The aftermath: I fought Duran again the next year, but it was different. Hed got old. It was an easy fight for me.KO 4 Dana Rosenblatt Super middleweight -- Aug. 23, 1996; Atlantic City, New JerseyThe setup: I picked Rosenblatt, who was 28-0, because Id just lost to Roy Jones and wanted people to know I could still fight. They screwed me on time of the Jones fight. They told me I was going to fight at 9:30-10:00, so I got all jacked up. I took my legal stuff and drank cappuccino, but I didnt fight until 10 minutes after midnight. I was dead. To beat Roy Jones I would have to be 100 percent and Jones 25 percent. But he was 100 percent and I was 50 percent. I was so bad that night that Jones stopped me in the sixth round. Anyway, I thought I was giving Rosenblatt a break so he could makes some money and bring him into the spotlight. Then the kid starts talking like hes gonna use me as steppingstone. He said I was just an old warrior and a good win for him. Thats why I hated him so much.The fight: Before I went out for the fourth round I told my trainer, Kevin Rooney, Im knocking this kid out. I was catching him with real clean shots and I knew he wouldnt be able to take it. I nailed him with a big bomb [that floored Rosenblatt. He beat the count but was badly hurt, and Vinny rushed in and pushed referee Tony Orlando aside in his eagerness to get to his victim. Orlando fell and Paz pummeled Rosenblatt with a flurry of punches. Commissioner Larry Hazzard jumped into the ring and stopped the fight. It was quite a scene].The aftermath: I hated Rosenblatt so much I wanted [to] bury him. They fined me $20,000. Wish I had that today. Every time I see Larry now I say, Hey, Larry, $20,000! He just laughs.W 1O Tocker Pudwill Super middlewweight -- March 27, 2004; Mashantucket, ConnecticutThe setup: I announced that this would be my final fight. I was hoping to go out with my 50th win, but I didnt want to take on just anybody. Pudwill was a legitimate fighter and had more than 40 fights. John Scully was my sparring partner for the Pudwill fight, and he told me that hed sparred with him and not to take him lightly. He can punch, said Scully. He has a big right hand. Tocker was as sweet as pie before the fight, but after the weigh-in I started to razz him a little, trying to get under his skin. I was yelling, Tocker, for the rest of your life youre going to be known as Vinny Pazs last win. Youre gonna be know as No. 50. It didnt bother him one bit. I thought to myself, this m----- f----- really thinks hes gonna beat you.The fight: He wasnt easy to hit, so in the second round I leaped in with a big left hook. It bounces off his head and I ended up crouched down in front of him. He hit me with a right hand on top of the head. The first thing I thought of was Scully telling me he had a big right hand. I didnt want Pudwill to know I was hurt, so I started moving around. I thought, you m----- f-----, 10 years ago I would have cleaned your clock. Then I thought, shut up Paz Man. Roberto Duran was thinking the same thing about you. Little by little I started to get to him. It wasnt easy, but I dropped him [in] the eighth and won a unanimous decision.The aftermath: I walked away feeling happy, confident and satisfied. I gave my heart and soul to my fans. I was done. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '