Dein erstes Forum » coach for Team USA during the World Cup

LONDON -- It was a foreboding touch to hear a gong-type noise played on U.K. television coverage as Andy Murray failed to save a fifth set point against Kei Nishikori in an epic 18-minute first-set tiebreaker on Wednesday.A similar booming sound played over Arthur Ashe Stadiums loudspeakers in Septembers US Open. After the mysterious noise, Murray melted down in a five-set quarterfinal defeat to Nishikori. But this time, Murray just about regrouped at the World Tour Finals to beat the world No. 5 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4.He still flirted with disaster here. Several times he got wound up into a similar state of agitation as he had in that fourth set at Flushing Meadows; he was distracted throughout, remonstrating with himself and shouting at his box.I didnt feel like I was hitting the ball as well as I would have liked, Murray later told a news conference. He was dictating so many of the points. For me it was frustrating. Didnt matter whether I tried to hit the ball a bit harder, adjusted my position on the court, nothing was making me hit the ball cleaner.As the match went on, I was getting kind of frustrated, then becoming like sarcastic with myself that I couldnt seem to hit the ball as clean as I wanted to. Yeah, I dont often do that, but today I was definitely being more sarcastic towards myself than usual.His frustrations almost cost him dearly when he failed to take two set points at 5-4 in the second set, having already been broken back once. He then needed four games to finally put away Nishikori, after building a 5-1 lead in the decider.No doubt about it, this was a step up in class for the Scot -- not since his French Open final defeat to Novak Djokovic in June had he faced a top-five opponent.There was nothing really in it, Murray admitted. He could have won in two sets, for sure. He was dictating many points. He had a number of chances.Murrays place in the semifinals is far from guaranteed, though, after Stan Wawrinka?rebounded from an opening loss to beat Marin Cilic 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in Wednesdays evening session at Londons O2 Arena.If Wawrinka beats Murray in two sets, and Nishikori wins against Cilic, then Murray will be out of the tournament and Djokovic will finish as year-end No. 1. But if Cilic gets his first win here, Murray and Wawrinka will both qualify for the semifinals regardless.All I know is if I want to have a chance to qualify, I need to win, said Wawrinka. Thats all I know. Thats all Im trying to do.Im going to try to play my best tennis, to beat the world No. 1. Its going to be a tough match. We played many times each other. Hes playing his best tennis so far. Its going to be interesting. Im happy to play here in front of his home crowd. Im sure its going to be a great atmosphere.One man who definitely wont be here at the weekend is Gael Monfils, who withdrew from the Tour Finals with a rib injury that he first picked up in Stockholm last month. The Frenchman had lost his opening two matches to Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem -- Djokovic will now play alternate David Goffin in his final round robin match Thursday.Definitely I cant play for tomorrow because I still feel worse and worse, my ribs, that I had lately, Monfils told a news conference. Yeah, I feel that even yesterday was tough in the game. I feel unfortunately today I couldnt be feeling great and couldnt practice, so I just decide that I couldnt play tomorrow.Monfils announcement pushed Murrays own news conference even further back -- the Scot had already been scheduled to come in to press two hours after his match against Nishikori finished.I was in the ice bath after the match, he said when he finally turned up. That obviously helps kind of make you feel a bit better. But, yeah, sort of 10, 12 hours afterwards the body starts to stiffen up. Im sure tomorrow Ill be a bit sore. But its positive I get a days rest, a days recovery tomorrow.He will need the rest -- this was officially the longest three-set match in Tour Finals history at 3 hours, 20 minutes.Not quite as long as the near five-hour epic between Murray and Nishikori that went five sets in the Davis Cup in March, nor the three hours, 57 minutes they played in New York, but still draining.While it wasnt a vintage performance, Murray found a way to get the job done, stretching his win streak to 21 matches, one short of his career-best set earlier this summer.For now, he is quickly learning that it is one thing to get to the top of the rankings, and another thing to stay there. He must match or outdo Novak Djokovics results here to finish year-end No. 1, and it could come down to a straight shootout in Sundays final.I think for the tournament and for everyone interested in tennis that would probably be the perfect way to finish the year, admitted Murray.Nike Air Huarache 2020 Günstig .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Huarache Größentabelle . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.airforce1gunstig.de/air-force-1-herren-deutschland.html . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Nike Air Presto Deutschland Kaufen . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed. Nike Air Presto Günstig Kaufen . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status.BOSTON -- As the Stanley Cup glimmered in the foyer of Boston College High School on Wednesday afternoon, ?Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan stood a few steps away, signing autographs and taking pictures with former teachers, teammates, youth hockey players and complete strangers.A former student-athlete at BC High, Sullivan, now 48, brought the Stanley Cup to his old school on the first stop of his two-day tour with hockeys sacred chalice. Sitting in the corner, sporting a Penguins Stanley Cup championship hat, was Sullivans 79-year-old father, George. As he watched as his son become the center of attention (next to the Stanley Cup, of course), George quietly savored every moment of it.Its a dream come true -- unbelievable, George Sullivan said. I still keep pinching myself to make sure its real. Ive been his biggest fan all his life and I couldnt understand how he wasnt a head coach someplace. Finally, it worked out for him. Hes a hard-working kid. He got what he deserved.Mike Sullivans mother, Myrna, passed away last year. But his dad, wife Kate, and the couples three children -- Kaitlin, Kiley and Matthew -- have enjoyed this ride as a family. In fact, Sullivan says he has two families. He has one on the ice and one off the ice. Hes been celebrating the championship with both this summer.When Sullivan and his wife of 25 years started planning his days with the Cup, the couple wanted to share it with those who have helped mold Sullivans career as a player and coach. A few minutes after Sullivan carried the Stanley Cup into his former high school, he met with a few members of the current hockey team at BC High, including Eagles coach John Flaherty. Sullivans message to the team was meant to inspire the next generation of players, coaches or maybe even front-office personnel.Hes a great speaker. Hes a great motivator. He shares his wisdom with all ages, Flaherty said. Selfishly, I wanted my guys to hear from him just because I know what he said to them is going to be great. His message was about appreciating BC High and how the further you get away from BC High, the more you appreciate it. As hockey players, they can also look at a guy like Mike who was once in their shoes and played hockey in this program. And now look where he is.After ending their visit at BC High with a group picture on the steps of the school, Sullivan and his father escorted a convoy of vehicles across the city to Boston University, where Sullivan starred for four seasons from 1986-90.There, the Cup was placed on a table, and BU season-ticket holders lined up to have their pictures taken with it. And once again, George Sullivan sat off to the side and took it all in. Its been a great ride, he said.While the Penguins were in the midst of their Stanley Cup run, former teammates and youth coaches at different levels sent Sullivan texts and notes to wish him and his team good luck. He, his fellow coaches and his players were playing for those who had helped them reach that point in their careers. And now, sharing in that championship celebration is a token way to pay them back, especially his family members.People who arent associated with pro sports probably dont realize the sacrifices that families make so that guys like myself can chase their dreams, Sullivan said. Families go through a lot of emotional highs and lows during the course of a playing career, or a coaching career, and my family is no different. My wife has been the rock for our family through a very competitive, emotional roller-coaster career, whether as a player, or now as a coach. To have the opportunity to share this with my wife and kids -- and my dad, who has been with me from Day 1 and was my first coach and now probably one of my biggest fans -- ?is a great thrill.When Sullivan took over as head coach on Dec. 12, the Penguins were struggling and on the cusp of sliding out of playoff contention. He held a meeting with the entire team and then had a separate sit-down with the leadership core, including captain Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury. The new coach made it quite clear how he wanted the Penguins to play and what he expected from each player on a daily basis.The transformation didnt occur overnight, but the players eventually bought into Sullivans philosophy and the team found an identity. It became a family.You dont win champioonships without character people.dddddddddddd. And with our team, our players, we have an abundance [of them] in our dressing room, Sullivan said on Wednesday. It starts with our captain. I cant say enough about Sid and what he did for our group. But it doesnt stop there. Our team became a team in a true sense of the word; everybody made contributions to help this group win a championship, and that might be the most rewarding thing for the coaching staff.Matt Sullivan couldnt join the rest of his family for the Penguins celebration and parade in Pittsburgh because he has an internship with Lincoln Financial Group in Hartford, Conn., and he figured it was more important to work. It was a reflection of the type of dedication that his parents instilled in him at a young age. Its the same type of work ethic Sullivan expected from his players.Thats something I learned from him growing up is that work ethic is, bar none, the most important thing, said Matt Sullivan, who is a senior at Bowdoin College. I had a chance to go and hang out with the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh or get some experience with my internship. It was a hard choice, ?but thankfully theyre letting me come hang with it for a few days, which is awesome.On Wednesday, when the Stanley Cup arrived at BU, Sullivans good friend and former college teammate David Quinn, who is the Terriers current head coach, met the family at the Zamboni entrance of Agganis Arena and escorted the party to a second-floor suite. Many in the crowd of nearly 500 people took turns over the next two hours stepping up onto a small stage and having their picture taken with the Cup. Sullivan stood close by with his family and greeted everyone with a smile when he was asked for an autograph or picture.In coaching, obviously Xs and Os are important, Quinn said. But its all people skills and how you manage people, and Mike knows how to deal with people. He knows how to make hard decisions and how to handle them in the right way, which is the key to this profession. We always have to make tough decisions and tell people things they dont want to hear, but its the way you go about doing it that will allow you to have success. And nobody does that better than Mike.That skill helped him develop that team identity and a sense of family with the Penguins.Without question, Quinn said. When you have that approach, and you deal with people the way he does, you saw that come together in Pittsburgh this year. Leadership is about one thing: Whoever you are leading, they have to know that you care about them. Once they know you care about them, they trust you. The players in Pittsburgh realized Mike cares about them and once he had that, they started trusting him -- and the proofs in the pudding.After his trip to BU, Sullivan brought the Cup to his home course at Marshfield Country Club, before heading home for a private family celebration. On Thursday, hes taking it to a local cancer center and his local church.If I can brighten the day of someone who may be having a difficult time, its worth it, Sullivan said. These next couple of days are going to be a huge thrill. Im going to try to embrace every moment with it. It never gets old.This has been the shortest offseason of Sullivans pro hockey career -- not that hes complaining. In addition to preparing for the 2016-17 season with the Penguins, he will also serve as an assistant coach for Team USA during the World Cup of Hockey next month in Toronto.He has also spent part of the summer in organizational meetings discussing what the Penguins need to do to defend their title.Where do we go from here? How do we challenge this group to repeat? Sullivan said. Its a very difficult task, and the history of the league shows it. So we know the challenges were faced with moving forward, and its our responsibility to meet those challenges and try to inspire this group again so that we can hopefully compete for the Stanley Cup championship next year.Well, theres one person Sullivan doesnt have to convince -- his father.Before the doors opened at Agganis Arena Wednesday afternoon, George Sullivan walked up to the Stanley Cup, with the Boston University backdrop behind him, and took a picture alongside his son.Lets bring it back next year, George said. ' ' '