fourth. Anderson took the mound to begin the bottom of t

The curling landscape shifted dramatically over the last month of the 2013-2014 season. When Kevin Martin and Jennifer Jones won the season-ending Players Championship, many rinks – especially on the mens side – had played their last game together. A legend retired, a skip left his Brier-winning team, old friends reunited and the best stayed together. With this being an Olympic year, many curlers felt it was necessary to join a new squad at seasons end in order to have a better shot at competing in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. With all the changes, which rink do you think is the favourite going into next season and beyond? Lets start from the beginning. Going into the mens world championships in Beijing, China earlier this month, Canadian champion Kevin Koe announced that he was leaving his team to join a new rink next season, comprised of Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert from Martins team as well as Brent Laing from Glenn Howards rink. This group is an interesting one. They definitely have a lot of experience as Kennedy and Hebert won Olympic gold with Martin back in 2010, while Laing captured world titles as Howards second in 2007 and 2012. Laing and Hebert will remain in their familiar positions, but Kennedy will be bumped up to third stones after spending the last 11 years throwing in the two hole. Is Koe the favourite despite a third who has never played the position professionally? As a result of his team finding new homes and – more importantly – a lack of desire to devote four years to an Olympic run, curling legend Kevin Martin retired at seasons end. Martin played 26 seasons, racking up four Briers, one world championship and, of course, Olympic gold in 2010. Pat Simmons, Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen will return to the Brier in 2015 as Team Canada after winning the national championship this season with Koe at the helm. With Koe jumping ship, the threesome were able to convince John Morris to join them as their skip. Morris had previously skipped Jim Cotter, Tyrel Griffith and Rick Sawatsky to the finals at the 2014 Brier where they lost to Koe. The 35-year-old, who had planned to take a year off from curling unless a good opportunity presented itself, will play a limited schedule due to work commitments next season. Hes a two-time Brier champion (2008, 2009), a world champion (2008) and an Olympic champion (2010). Will Morris be able to keep this team back at the same level? Another veteran skip on the Grand Slam circuit also made news recently. Glenn Howard, 51, will reunite with an old friend next year, as Richard Hart will come out of retirement to play third. The pair were able to capture a Brier and world championship together back in 2007 before Hart decided to leave the game in 2011. Howard is also bringing in Jon Mead to replace Laing at second after he played third for Jeff Stoughtons rink for the past five seasons. Craig Savill will remain the teams lead. After a disappointing year for Howard, will there be a revival of past success with these changes in 2014-2015? Then there is Jeff Stoughton, who had his entire team leave him this season. Mead went to Howard, Mark Nichols left to throw third stones for Brad Gushue (they won Olympic gold in 2006 together) and Reid Carruthers will skip his own squad next year. With Morris taking the Team Canada position, Stoughton had to start from scratch. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, the 50-year-olds new rink will be comprised of Rob Fowler at third, Alex Forrest at second and Connor Njegovan at lead. Can Stoughton surprise some people with this new group? One of the few teams that is staying pat is Brad Jacobs Sault Ste. Marie rink. The foursome is coming back for another shot at Olympic glory. Will they continue to roll or will an Olympic hangover set in after reaching the top of the sport at such a young age? As seen above, Gushue will have a new/old look next year. Does he have what it takes to get back to the top of the sport with the move? Then theres a few under-the-radar teams that may surprise some people. Is there a chance Mike McEwen, who finished atop the money standings this season, Jim Cotter, John Epping or Steve Laycock could make some noise on the curling circuit? It should be an interesting season of rock throwing next winter. With all the changes, which rink do you think is the favourite as we prepare for another run at Olympic gold? As always, its Your! Call. Cheap Basketball Shoes Australia . According to the Globe and Mail, a decision between the NHL and the Players Association should come within the six months. "I can tell you, (a decision) shouldnt take all that long," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Globe and Mail. Wholesale Basketball Shoes .com) - Jimmy Butler made four key free throws down the stretch to lift the Chicago Bulls over the Boston Celtics, 109-102, on Friday. http://www.wholesalebasketballshoesaustralia.com/ . - First-timer Chris Harris Jr. Cheap Basketball Shoes Au .com) - The top spot in the AFC South will be on the line when Houston native Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts shoot for their fourth straight win when they take on the Texans at NRG Stadium. Wholesale Basketball Shoes Free Shipping . -- The top-seeded Alberta Pandas set up of an all-Canada West final against arch rival UBC at the CIS womens volleyball championship after a 3-0 win over the No.SAN FRANCISCO -- Tommy Kahnle has been trying to tell anyone who will listen how good Colorados bullpen is, even if the numbers suggest otherwise. The Rockies middle reliever finally has some solid proof to back his claim. On a day the National Leagues top scoring offence was held to one run, the timing was perfect. Kahnle and four relievers combined for two-hit ball over six innings after Brett Anderson was injured, leading Colorado to a 1-0 victory over Matt Cain and the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. "Its definitely special," said Kahnle after the Rockies bullpen lowered its collective ERA by nearly full point to 4.20. "Our bullpens real good, especially coming into that spot where our starter gets taken out by a freak injury. Really its just a big spot by us." Troy Tulowitzki drove in the games only run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning to help lift Colorado to just its second win in six road games this season. Its also just the Rockies third win in their last 17 games at San Franciscos waterfront ballpark. Kahnle (2-0) allowed one baserunner in two innings. Matt Belisle, Adam Ottavino, Rex Brothers and LaTroy Hawkins pitched an inning apiece to complete the three-hitter with Hawkins finishing for his second save. "Usually if its a one-run game here were going the other way on it and probably lose," said Ottavino, who pitched a perfect seventh inning for Colorado. "Today was a good day. Everybody stepped up that needed to and we were able to hold them down and keep them quiet." Anderson left the game with a bruised left index finger after allowing a hit in three innings. He did not require X-rays and is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Sunday. Rockies relievers picked up the slack and extended their scoreless streak to 9 2-3 innings in this series. A day after pitcher Madison Bumgarner hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, the Giants managed only three hits and were shut out for the first time this season. "Their bullpen did a great job," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. "We pitched good. They just pitched a little better." Cain (0-2) allowed four hitts over seven innings with eight strikeouts and three walks.dddddddddddd He is winless in his last seven starts at AT&T Park. Charlie Blackmon, the majors leading hitter going in, scored after leading off the third with a walk. Blackmon took second on Brandon Barnes infield single, moved to third as part of a double steal then came home on Tulowitzkis sacrifice fly. "At the time youre not thinking thats the run thats going to win the game, but it was a big one," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. Tulowitzki went hitless in three at-bats in his return to Colorados lineup after sitting out the series opener with a sore quad. Catcher Wilin Rosario was also back after resting a sore hand on Friday. Even at full strength, the Rockies needed a big lift from their bullpen to pull this one out. Anderson lasted just three innings after bruising the index finger on his left hand apparently while grounding out to end the top of the fourth. Anderson took the mound to begin the bottom of the frame and threw one warmup pitch before a team trainer was summoned from the dugout. "It felt like a firecracker went off in my glove," Anderson said. "I went out there and threw a warmup pitch and it felt like what I envision trying to throw with a foam finger feels like." Anderson eventually walked off the field and was replaced by Kahnle. Pablo Sandoval greeted the Rockies reliever with a double to the gap in left-centre on Kahnles first pitch after centre fielder Blackmon missed on a diving attempt. After Buster Posey walked, Kahnle got Mike Morse to ground into a double play and struck out Hector Sanchez. The Giants couldnt do much else, spoiling Cains strongest outing of the season. San Francisco loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth but Brothers struck out Sandoval on five pitches to end the inning. NOTES: Gonzalez went 0 for 4, ending his 10-game hitting streak. ... RHP Tyler Chatwood makes his season debut for the Rockies in the series finale on Sunday. RHP Tim Hudson (2-0) goes for San Francisco. ... Danielle Meulens, daughter of Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens, sang the national anthem. ' ' '