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CALGARY - Canada not only reinforced its status as a winter sport power in 2014, but proved to be a pretty good road team at the Winter Olympics.The country fell one medal short of its best Winter Games performance in Sochi, Russia, in February. The host team won 26 four years earlier in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., to set the new benchmark.To claim 25 in Russia without the advantage of home ice and snow indicates Canadas athletes stayed confident and adapted.Canadas sport leaders — Own The Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Sport Canada and the winter sport federations — have set overall medals won as the standard of success.The stated goal for Sochi, as it was four years earlier, was to win the overall medal count.Canada finished fourth in the overall tally behind host Russia (33), the United States (28) and Norway (26). In 2010, the Americans were first with 37 and Germany second with 30 ahead of third-place Canada.After setting a record for gold medals at a single Winter Games with 14 in 2010, Canada wasnt far off the pace in Sochi with 10 to sit third behind Russia (13) and Norway (11).Sweeping mens and womens gold in hockey and curling was immensely satisfying to those watching at home.But the fertile ground coming out of Sochi is in freestyle skiing. With terrain parks in ski resorts from coast to coast, this country is a natural playground for flying off jumps on two skis and inventing tricks in the air.Canada has depth of talent in freestyle skiing. If you include skicross, which is governed internationally by freestyle but domestically by Alpine Canada, the freestyle teams nine medals accounted for more than a third of Canadas total in Sochi. Four times in freestyle events, there were two Canadian medallistsCanadas Paralympians again hit the target of finishing among the top three countries in gold medals won with nine in Sochi.The host country ranked third in 2010 with 10 gold and stayed third in Sochi behind the Russians with 30 and the Germans with nine. Cross-country skier Brian McKeever collected three gold to increase his career count to 10.Sochi tested the resiliency of Canadas athletes, coaches and support staff and will provide a template for Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018.Thousands of kilometres and multiple time zones away from home again, the Canadian team will attempt to maintain the gain, which was the mantra heading into 2014.Peter Judge stepped out of his job as chief executive officer of the Canadian Freestyle Skiing Association post-Sochi and immediately into the role of director of winter sport for OTP.He said the top reason for the freestyle teams success in Sochi was athletes travelled to the area at least three times for competitions or training camps prior to the opening ceremonies.Familiarization has always been the critical component of major Games and world championships, Judge said in Sochi. Weve always tried to be in there early and often.They came here, they felt at home. There was not too much weirdness at all. Having that familiarity, having that comfort, youre dealing with 80 per cent less stuff right off the bat.Canada is keeping up the pace post-Sochi with several notable results to open the 2014-15 World Cup season.Calgarys Sam Edney became the first Canadian male to win World Cup luge gold. Ottawa long-track speed skater Ivanie Blondin has picked up five medals, including two gold in the womens mass start.Short-tracker Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., claimed four individual medals, including gold in the 1,500 metres. Moguls skier Phil Marquis of Quebec City won his first World Cup in two years.Olympic skicross champion Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., and Vancouvers Georgia Simmerling earned gold and silver respectively in their first race this winter while Calgary skeleton racer Elisabeth Vathje has won a gold and a silver in her first two World Cups.Alpine skier Manny Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, B.C., kicked off his season with a downhill silver in Lake Louise, Alta.The countrys continued success depends largely on two elements: money and recruiting talented athletes into winter sport. The Canadian taxpayer is the single biggest funder of its athletes.According to the office of the Minister of State for Sport, the federal government spent $150 million on high-performance sport in the four years between 2010 and 2014, which was an increase of $25 million over the previous quadrennial.That figure doesnt include the Athletes Assistance Program, which provides up to $18,000 to approximately 1,800 carded athletes annually in direct money.OTP allocates about $62 million of the federal government money annually to summer, winter and Paralympic sport based on medal potential. That means if a sport federation has athletes with medal potential, they get OTP funding. If not, no money.Its a tough-love philosophy not loved by all, particularly if you are a ski jumper or skeleton racer not getting much from OTP.But since this system has largely produced results Canadians can feel proud of — and thus wont object paying for — its likely here to stay for now.Under Marcel Aubut, the Canadian Olympic Committee has aggressively pursued corporate sponsorships with a goal set in 2012 to raise $100 million by 2016.The COC committed to diverting $37 million of it to OTP a year ago. But there are still money gaps in athletes lives as they try to make ends meet. Theres also a concerning lack of resources in some sports to develop the next generation of Olympians.The COC is responsible for preparing athletes for the Games environment and looking after their needs on the ground.The expenses for South Korea will be at least comparable to Russia if Canada follows the same strategy of getting athletes there early and often before 2018. Mike Evans Jersey .com) - Manu Ginobili capped off a 26-point night with a go-ahead layup with 24 seconds left in overtime, with the basket giving the San Antonio Spurs a much-needed 95-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Beau Allen Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith still thinks of himself as the New York Jets starting quarterback. http://www.officialtampabaybuccaneersfoo...t-jersey-womens. The 18-year-old Januzaj has made his breakthrough at United this season, including scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Sunderland before the recent international break. His performances have sparked a debate about where his international future lies. John Lynch Jersey . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. O. J. Howard Jersey . -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver recently convicted on a felony drug charge.The FIBA World Cup gold and bronze medal matches are set. As expected, the USA plays in the championship game against unexpected upstarts Serbia. Will Strickland and Duane Watson of TSN 1050s "1 On 1 With Will & Duane" share the ball this week with Postmedia news editor/writer, Hasan Alanam, also a statistics consultant for the Womens program at Canada Basketball. TSNs Three-Man-Weave assesses the World Cup as it winds down and weighs in on the unfolding situation with the Atlanta Hawks. After spoiling the anticipated FIBA World Cup Final by shocking Spain 65-52, did France become the Cinderella of the tournament? Strickland: Hard to call one of the top teams in the world and current Eurobasket champs "Cinderella," even without Tony Parker and Joakim Noah, but the good money was on a final match-up between hoops superpowers Spain and the USA. Despite the heroics of Nic Batum and Boris Diaw, France was edged by the real Cinderella, Serbia, in the semi-final. Lead by Milos Teodosic (look for him possibly on an NBA roster near you someday) and the irrepressible Bogdan "Bogdan" Bogdanovic, Serbias underdog status versus the US will have the Palacio de Los Desportes in Madrid at full tilt for what could be a thrilling final. Alanam: France stunned everyone after eliminating the only team that had a chance of beating USA and they did it without Tony Parker and several key rotational guys that helped France win the 2013 Eurobasket. Credit the French for recognizing the Diaw-Gasol mismatch and Rudy Gobert for shutting down the Spanish frontcourt. That said, France was only a big underdog in their match against Spain. Serbia, on the other hand, had a tougher path to the final after beating favourites Greece and Brazil. Theyre the Cinderella team of the tournament. Watson: France cant be a Cinderella if they are the reigning Eurobasket champions. They overachieved, but no team has surprised more than Serbia. Ranked 11th in the world, every country they defeated was ranked higher than them (Greece #5, Brazil #10 and France #8) and they were all beat convincingly. With little NBA-calibre talent on the roster, they have shown how a balanced team effort can pull through, compete and win. Best chance for Serbia to knock off the USA in the Finals?Strickland: Hope that the USA doesnt show to the arena? Really, if Serbia can implement a plan to keep the USAs offensive rebounds relatively even with their own to quell second and third shot opportunities, limit dribble penetration, force live ball turnovers, stay home on the shooters and make bigs like Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried, DeMarcus Cousins and Mason Plumlee decision-makers late in the shot clock, they have a real chance. Then again, looking at that laundry list of requirements against the USA, it should be posted under Serbias "Easier Said Than Done" file, as well. Alanam: Serbia has an outside shot of beating the USA if they can control the pace, limit their transition game and execute efficiently. They space the floor well, have three-point shooters outside (second in the tourney in 3PT%) and have multiple ball-handlers that can run their staple high pick-and-roll play. It will be interesting to see how Milos Teodosic, arguably the best point guard in Europe, stacks up against the elite USA point guards. Watson: Im going to throw the playbook out the window here. If Serbia continues to play with confidence and never-say-die-attitude that got them to this point, they will be ok. They surely will compete and not be scared of the fact theyre playing the US. They havent backed down to anyone and wont now. They just have to be able to come up with answers defensively. Who is the MVP of FIBA World Cup 2014?Strickland: Fans vote so, itll be Pau Gasol. The tourneys in Spain. Politically correct or even accurate? No, but the FIBA World Cup is being held in Spain! Being a firm believer in the idea that the team who wins normally has the MVP on its roster, it cant be Gasol. If Serbia upsets the USA in the final, Milos Teodosic is the MVP. The 65", 27-year-old Teodosic is one of the best players in Europe and has been beyond fantastically clutch in this tournament. When the USA wins, it should be either Klay Thompson or Kenneth Faried, two guys few were sure would make the US Mens National Team, but have been vital contributors to its success. Wonder if Duane Watson voted for Andray Blatche... #Gilas Alanam: It has to be Pau Gasol, despite Spains early exit. The 34-year-old big man looked as dominant as ever in international play and appears to be finally healthy after battling injuries the last two seasons with the Lakers..dddddddddddd. He finished the tournament averaging about 20 points and six rebounds with a true shooting percentage of over 68 per cent. Chicago Bulls fans should be optimistic about this coming season even with Derrick Rose struggling in the tournament. Watson: Well, the fans actually vote for the MVP and since the World Cup is based in Spain, Pau Gasol will walk away with the award. Deservedly so, averaging 20 points a game, 5.9 rebounds and shooting 63 per cent from the field, while leading his team to an undefeated record in pool play. Gasol has used the World Cup as a perfect springboard for a fresh start with the Chicago Bulls this season. Derrick Rose is averaging 5.4 points per game, 2.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds on 27 per cent shooting from the field in 17 minutes a game. How would you rate his return? Strickland: Disappointingly incomplete. My issues with Derrick Martell Rose, how hes handled the injuries, his role on this team and public perception of his desire are myriad, but there is nothing Ive seen from Rose in this tournament that tells me his return to the NBA will also mark his return to elite status as a player or that hes fully shaken the mental, emotional and physical hurdles someone so athletically gifted may have to leap to find peace, progress and ultimate performance after such devastating injuries. Alanam: It would be unfair to rate Rose at this point because he is coming back from two major knee surgeries and playing under a different set of rules (and with a different ball). His jumpshot isnt falling, he isnt finishing well, has turnover issues (turnover rate over 20 per cent), but his drives to the rim have looked explosive and he has played solid defence. Rose had his best game against Slovenia when he dropped 16 points, but struggled in USAs semi-final match against Lithuania. Watson: On a scale of one to 10? FIVE. Rose has shown that his knees work and are functional, but his game and competitive spirit are somewhat lacking. I wont attribute it to the competition, as he has been training with USA Basketball all summer, but the player who dominated the league a few years ago is nowhere to be seen and this is against "perceived" weaker competition. He still has a few more kilometres to travel on the road to getting back to himself. If Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson or GM Danny Ferrys insensitive comments occurred as isolated incidences, would there be as much of an issue? Strickland: Wouldnt have made a difference one way or the other. In light of fresh scars from the Donald Sterling/LA Clippers drama, this situation in Atlanta reads like a modern Shakespearean tragedy. Front office power struggles between Bruce Levenson, Danny Ferry, CEO Steve Koonin and co-owner Michael Gearon, who looks to be the whistleblower here, are only the tip of the iceberg. Danny Ferry committed potential career suicide by claiming he was only reiterating words from a scouting report on then-free agent and fellow Duke alum Luol Deng, instead of speaking extemporaneously. And Bruce Levenson, in an attempt to address market pressures, but in racially insensitive tones, is relinquishing his majority ownership of the club, aware of the consequences of his judgement. It may get worse before it gets better in the ATL.Alanam: In the post-Donald Sterling era, any time when there is any sort of racially charged comments coming from a high-ranking front office member of a team, its going to be a big deal. This is a league thats predominantly African-American and has always gotten high marks for its diversity, so this goes completely against what they stand for. Luckily for the NBA, they have the Ray Rice situation unfolding at the same time. This could have been a lot worse. Watson: The coupling of the statements spells bad news for the Hawks, but individually, particularly in the light of Donald Sterlings Clippers fiasco, they would likely have had the same amount of weight. Levensons insensitive e-mail was damning and a sale of his majority share was inevitable. Ferrys mishandling of statements that "werent his," made the situation worse and referring to it as a poor judgement call would be a gross understatement. He apologized, but is the only one who hasnt owned up to what he said, unlike Sterling or Levenson. The fact they both happened within a relatively short timeframe of one another speaks to the culture in the Atlanta organization, which is in desperate need of change. The Three-Man Weave contributors are co-hosts of TSN Radio 1050s 1 On 1 with Will & Duane, Will Strickland (@WallStrizzle1), Duane Watson (@DuaneWatson) and Postmedia News editor / writer Hasan Alanam (@hasanalanam). 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