Globale News » efore this season. Olivier Giroud was on th

LOS ANGELES -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says if the Los Angeles Clippers sell for US$2 billion, he has franchises worth more. Dan Hampton Jersey . The estranged wife of embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling has said she has agreed to sell the NBA franchise to former Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer for that amount. Bettman said sports franchises are becoming increasingly valuable because of their prominence as media content. Speaking before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, the NHL commissioner said the Clippers sale may be a unique case due to the Los Angeles market, the number of people in the L.A. area who wanted to buy the team and Ballmer himself. "It went for $2 billion, whether that means all franchises, either in the NBA or in any sport are proportionally impacted, Im not so sure to the dollar," said Bettman. "But if the Clippers are worth $2 billion, we have plenty of franchises that are worth at least that, if not more." On other matters, Bettman said the speed and timing of the game presented obstacles to expanding instant replay. The league would move slowly on the issue "and if we did do more things, youll see incremental -- youll see a handful of things that are very discreet. And well have to test it. "But as you see in other sports its not so easy to implement it. And Im very comfortable with what we have. And Ive got to be as least as comfortable with anything new we try to undertake." Bettman gave a thumbs-up to the leagues divisional realignment and revamped playoff format, saying "by almost any measure this may have been the successful season on and off the ice in league history." He said concussions were down this season "moderate, low double-digits" as a percentage, with man-games lost down by about half. He said the concussion protocols were working and the league and players association were serious about them. "Theyre being enforced and we are doing what is necessary to enforce the concussion protocols. And if we think theres been a violation, we follow up. If in an appropriate case there needs to be discipline imposed, we will do it." He declined to provide specifics, however. But he did say that players have to be open about symptoms so they can be addressed. "Obviously its difficult for us to get into a players head, no pun intended, with this concussion discussion." Devin Hester Jersey . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions . Mike Singletary Jersey .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. http://www.officialauthenticbearsproshop.com/Youth-Tom-Waddle-Bears-Jersey/ . This time, it was Eric Chavezs turn. Stuck in a rut since coming off the disabled list, Chavez hit the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning for a run-scoring single, sending the Diamondbacks to another walk-off victory, 4-3 over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.LONDON -- Arsenal avoided FA Cup embarrassment against second-tier club Wigan on Saturday, coming from behind against the holder and winning a penalty shootout to reach the final where the London club will be looking to end a nine-year trophy drought. After extra time ended 1-1, Arsenals players scored all of their penalties and Lukasz Fabianski made two vital saves in a 4-2 shootout victory over Wigan in this meeting of the fifth-place teams in the Premier League and League Championship. Wigan went in front in regular time from the penalty spot at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker conceded the spot kick that Jordi Gomez converted but the German made amends by heading in the equalizer that sent the game into extra time. "In the first half we were a bit timid," Mertesacker said. "A lot of people questioned (our character) recently but how we came back today we proved a lot." A year after winning its first major trophy by beating Manchester City and then again in this years semifinals, Wigan couldnt produce another upset against a Premier League power -- much to Arsene Wengers relief. "It was important mentally," the Arsenal manger said. "If you imagine the consequences of going out tonight, it would have been quite worrying." With the second half of his 18-year reign defined by the lack of silverware, Wenger desperately needs to collect a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup success when Arsenal returns to Wembley for the final. Arsenal will discover on Sunday whether it will face Premier League side Hull or third-tier club Sheffield United on May 17. It could be a bittersweet end to the season, though, with Arsenal at risk of missing out on the Champions League after 16 successive years. Just before kickoff at Wembley, Arsenal was dislodged from the fourth Champions League place by Everton, which beat Sunderland 1-0. What a slump it has been for Wengers side, having spent so much of the opening months of the season on top of the league. The failure to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window has come back to bite Wenger. How differently things could havee turned out if he had brought in an additional striker. Brian Urlacher Jersey. Instead, Wenger on Saturday was relying for goals on 21-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo, who was starting just his fourth game since joining on a free transfer before this season. Olivier Giroud was on the bench. Sanogos lack of cutting edge and pace in front of goal quickly became apparent. The Frenchman was denied by Scott Carson from close range after five minutes and again just before halftime when his unconvincing first touch to control the ball allowed the goalkeeper to thwart the attempt. If there was anything to reassure a dreary Arsenal side failing to produce the fluid football Wenger champions, it was Wigans inability to provide much attacking menace. So Arsenal gifted Wigan the opening to go in front. Mertesacker slid in with a lunge to cut out Callum McManamans run and the forward went to ground in the penalty area. After a delay while Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal received treatment elsewhere on the pitch, Gomez, a product of Barcelonas youth system, sent the spot kick beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski. The anger among Arsenal fans who have grown accustomed to failure was clear: Jeers greeted Wengers decision to bring Giroud on, not for Sanogo but Lukas Podolski in the 68th. The equalizer proved elusive. After Carsons save from Kieran Gibbs header sent the ball drifting toward the goal, Wigan defender Stephen Crainey scooped the ball off the line. Wigans goal was finally breached in the 82nd when it couldnt fully clear a corner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain raised the ball over the defence and Mertesacker headed in at the far post. It was a lucky escape for Arsenal, which was denied a winner in extra time when Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the crossbar but had better luck in the shootout. Fabianski saved Wigans first two penalties by Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison, while Arteta, Kim Kallstrom, Giroud and Cazorla all netted for the Gunners. "We are walking out of Wembley on paper as losers but in our own mind as winners," said Wigan manager Uwe Rosler, whose focus returns to gaining promotion back to the Premier League. 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