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Its arguably the first marquee event of every Winter Olympics, and the mens downhill in recent Olympics has provided surprising storylines. “The one thing about the Olympics especially in the speed disciplines, it so very rarely goes to the favourite, the favourite has so much pressure, and the variables are greater in downhill,” says CBC alpine analyst Kerrin Lee-Gartner, a 1992 downhill winner. “ Its not to say its a flukey thing, its just that everything has to align right, its harder for the favourite to make it align right in downhill.” In the last 20 years there have been four Olympic downhill winners who had fewer than three World Cup victories before making history: Tommy Moe of the U.S., Frenchmen Jean-Luc Cretier and Antoine Deneriaz, and 2010 winner Didier Defago of Switzerland. The Canadian Cowboys - Erik Guay, Manuel Osborne-Paradis and Jan Hudec - wouldnt qualify as surprise winners from an individual standpoint, but breaking a 20-year Olympic medal drought for the country in alpine skiing certainly would make fans take notice. No Canadian man has ever won a gold or silver medal in alpine. Steve Podborski (1980) and Ed Podivinsky (1994) each won bronze in the downhill. Guay is the likeliest contender to break through. Hes achieved two of his three career goals after winning a Crystal Globe season title in the super-G in 2010 and winning a world championship in downhill a year later. The Mont-Tremblant, Que., native is only missing an Olympic medal, preferably gold, after three separate top five finishes at the Winter Games. Guay has battled back this season from a knee injury to break Podborskis World Cup podium record for Canadian men. He finished seventh in the opening training session on Thursday. Hudec, he of the seven knee surgeries and more recent back injury, has also reached the podium this season. The Calgary native took silver in the super-G in Val Gardena, Italy in December. Osborne-Paradis is waiting to take that next step. Since coming back in late 2012 from a knee injury, the North Vancouver native has had top 10 finishes, but has been unable to reach the podium. Ben Thomsen of Invermere, B.C., finished second on a slightly different Sochi course two years ago, but hes struggled mightily this season.There are two strong international contenders to buck the recent trend of surprise Olympic downhill champs. Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway, who won a medal of every colour in Vancouver, has run his total of World Cup downhill wins to eight this season with a pair of victories. Bode Miller of the United States has wowed ski fans again this season, coming back at the age of 36 after more than a year off to reach the World Cup podium once each in downhill, super-G and giant slalom. Millers yet to win since his comeback, but coming up golden for a sixth career Olympic medal would be just his style. The following men would also not be surprise winners: Dominik Paris and Christof Innerhofer of Italy, Adrian Theaux of France and Patrick Kueng of Switzerland. Even 36-year-old Didier Defago put his name into consideration again after his first victory in over two years last month, a super-G at Kitzbuehel. The lengthy course has received mostly positive feedback from the skiers, with many remarking on the "big air" jumps. 2010 Olympic downhill: Didier Defago, Switzerland (G), Aksel Lund Svindal, Norway (S), Bode Miller, USA (B) Olympic alpine skiing schedule: Sunday, Feb. 9: Mens downhill Monday, Feb. 10: Womens super-combined Wednesday, Feb. 12: Womens downhill Friday, Feb. 14: Mens super-combined Saturday, Feb. 15: Womens super-G Sunday, Feb. 16: Mens super-G Tuesday, Feb. 18: Womens giant slalom Wednesday, Feb. 19: Mens giant slalom Friday, Feb. 21: Womens slalom Saturday, Feb. 22: Mens slalom Danilo Gallinari Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. Clippers Jerseys .com) - The Miami Heat will try to close out the Charlotte Bobcats Monday night in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first round series. http://www.clippersnbateamshop.info/loui...lippers-jersey/. Tyrell appeared in seven games with the Lightning this year, he had no points in those appearances. The 24-year-old has seven goals and 17 assists in 132 career NHL games, all coming with the Lightning. He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2007 draft. Blake Griffin Jersey . Every once in awhile, it seems like life lets dreams become real - and that is a gift. Jerome Robinson Jersey .C. -- Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe is resigning after 13 seasons at the school.James Wade is happy to remain the forgotten man of the Premier League as he attempts to snatch a place in the season-ending play-offs. The 2009 champion sits in fifth place in the Premier League table ahead of tonights matches in Belfast, live on Sky Sports.Only leg difference separates Wade from the play-off positions and he has acquired six wins, the same number as Michael Van Gerwen, who The Machine defeated on the opening day of the campaign. But Wade is still ranked sixth by the bookies in the list of possible winners and admits he does not mind being overlooked as a serious title threat.When I won tournaments, no-one ever talked about me either, so it makes no difference to me really, he told Sky Sports. Ive got no pressure because I get overlooked and no-one expects it from me. If anything, its quite nice. James Wade You have got players who are raved and ranted about being second favourite for a tournament and some of them havent even won one. It takes a lot to win the first one. That first one is the hardest one.To be put below in the expectations for the betting, I quite like it if that makes sense, because it takes the pressure off me. Ive got no pressure because I get overlooked and no-one expects it from me. If anything, its quite nice.Years ago, it used to really bother me. But you get used to certain things and every player has got their own perceived character, their own judgement by the crowd, and by the bookmakers. Ive got mine and other people have got theirs. Its pantomime, but its real. It isnt pantomime. James Wade completed a sizzling 161 checkout on the bullseye in hhis match against Dave Chisnall Asked if he will receive credit for reaching the last night at The O2, he said: Probably not really, but if I can get there, thats the hard bit.ddddddddddddOnly if I lift the trophy and say hows that! Michael van Gerwen has replaced Phil Taylor as the sports top player World No 1 Van Gerwen has been forced to shoulder the burden of expectation after replacing Phil Taylor as the sports top player and Wade feels he is unfairly likened to the 16-time world champion.Its a long time to continue being the worlds best player. Hes done if for a year to 18 months. Longer than I thought he would, said Wade.Unfortunately, although he is the greatest player in the world at the moment, its sad that hes always going to be compared to Phil. Studd: Wades wonderful five Rodd Studd picks out five memorable wins by The Machine Its a shame really. No matter what player becomes world No 1 and wins a lot of titles, they are always going to be compared to Phil, until someone wins, I think 77 or 78 TV majors. Its not going to happen.The reason why Phil did that, is because the field wasnt as strong back then. Years ago he had one or two rivals and those one or two rivals werent as good as him anyway. Now everyone can raise that 100, 105 average. The Machine expects a thrilling end to the season Wade will stay firmly in contention with a win over Adrian Lewis tonight and is relishing the chance to upset the odds in the closing weeks of the campaign.Its good this year that there is a lot of people in the run-in, he said. Its good for the viewers and good for the players as well. No-one has run away with it, like previous winners.Phil is not that far away from everyone and most are round about the 13-point mark. Anything can happen between now and the end, anything. Watch all of the Premier League action from night 11 in Belfast, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 1. Also See: Mardles PL predictions Sky Live: PL darts MVG: Nothing to prove How to beat Van Gerwen 6-0 ' ' '