JMM » Discussions » year at the helm would

  • Posted March 13, 2020
    UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones rematch with Alexander (The Mauler) Gustafsson is set for Sept. Jimmy Graham Super Bowl Jersey . 27 in Toronto, where the two fought a memorable five-round fight last September. Jones won a unanimous decision at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre, but had his hands full with the aggressive Swede. The UFC 178 rematch is set for Sept. 27 at the same arena. "Jones vs Gustafsson is on!!!," tweeted UFC president Dana White. "Its on!" Jones echoed via Twitter. Jones (20-1) stopped Brazils Glover Teixeira at UFC 165 last September, with a Gustafsson rematch next on the cards. But the champion did not look favourably on a date earlier this year to fight Gustafsson again and seemingly looked to a matchup with former heavyweight Daniel Cormier, who has been turning heads since dropping down to 205 pounds. Gustafsson (16-2) is ranked No. 1 among light-heavyweight contenders while Cormier (15-0) is No. 2. "I think Cormier is the tougher fighter, but the fans want to see me fight Gustafsson," Jones told ufc.com. "There was never an issue with taking the Gustafsson fight. "The issue was that my brother is getting married in July and I would have preferred a later date. I didnt want to go this early and I would have preferred to go later in October or November. It is what it is. We have a date now, Sept 27th. This was a personal decision for me. I will be at my brothers wedding and have a proper training camp." White said Jones will get his shot at Cormier if he beats Gustafsson. Gustafsson looked impressive in knocking out Jimi Manuwa in March. Cormier is coming off a third-round submission of veteran Dan Henderson at UFC 173 in May. Jones, ranked as the UFCs top pound-for-pound fighter, has defended his title seven times since dethroning Brazilian Mauriico (Shogun) Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011. Jones also fought in Toronto at UFC 140, choking out Lyoto (The Dragon) Machida in December 2011. 01:10ET 06-06-14 Brett Favre Super Bowl Jersey . But back-up Peter Budaj has put up two wins and an overtime loss while starting three games in four nights since Price went down with a suspected groin injury. Reggie White Super Bowl Jersey . Coverage on TSN is underway now while action resumes on TSN2 at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. TSN GO also offers TSN subscribers bonus online coverage, with live streams of all four venues.Randy Carlyle could only speak for the moment when asked about his future as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, addressing the media on Tuesday for the first time after his teams season ended short of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “Im here today,” he said when asked whether he would be back with the club for the 2014-15 season. “In this business you take on the responsibility of wins and losses, he continued. “You put your best foot forward and try to be honest and forthright with people and thats what were trying to do as a hockey club.” Carlyles future has been the subject of great speculation in the wake of a disappointing season for the Leafs. A March free-fall saw the team plummet from third in the Eastern Conference to a 38-36-8 finish, good for the eighth-worst record in the League. The teams first order of business once the off-season began was to appoint former NHL Director of Player of Safety and Hockey Hall-of-Famer Brendan Shanahan as the teams new president. While Carlyle could not comment on any impending changes under Shanahan – he is yet to formally meet with his new boss – he summed up the free-fall as a symptom of how the team played throughout the year. “The last 30 days of the season was the tell-tale story for our group,” Carlyle said. “The things that we were doing in the beginning and winning came to fruition in the final 30 days.” He pointed specifically to the teams inability to capitalize on a strong road trip to California in early March as a detrimental turning point in the season. After winning two of three road games against the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings in early March, the Leafs returned to the east coast, losing three games in four nights and kicking off what would become an eight-game stretch without earning a single point in the standings. “It seemed we played well enough to earn some respect,” Carlyle said of the California trip. “Then we seemed to have lost our mojo.” Froom then on, the teams confidence seemed to drop every time they conceded an early goal or did not perform up to expectations. Mason Crosby Super Bowl Jersey. . “The first goal would go in and the shoulders would slump, that was the tell-tale sign,” he said. “Our response was very minimal.” The 57-year-old Carlyle has spent parts of three seasons with the team, taking over from previous Leafs head coach Ron Wilson with 18 games remaining in the 2011-12 season. Carlyle would lead the team to a 6-9-3 finish in his first year. His most successful year at the helm would be the following season when he led the Leafs to a 26-17-5 mark in strike shortened 2012-13 and, more importantly, the franchises first playoff berth since 2003-04. They would ultimately suffer a shocking defeat in Game 7 of their opening round series, surrendering a 4-1, third period lead in the final 11 minutes of regulation and falling in overtime to the Boston Bruins. Speaking to the teams 2012-13 success, Carlyle stated that he and the teams management were confident going into the season, but that they may have misjudged the teams strength. “We had been a competitive group the year previous and we felt this group was ready to take the next step,” Carlyle said Tuesday. “It didnt materialize.” Speaking to the teams defensive posture, Carlyle didnt see a consistent effort. “You have to play and you have to compete on the defensive side of the puck with will and commitment,” Carlyle said. “We didnt do that consistently.” “Were not asking players to do something they havent done before,” he added when asked about players molding to his coaching strategy. Carlyle currently has one year remaining on the three-year deal he signed after taking over for Wilson in 2012. He stopped short of offering up explanations for how to turn the Leafs fortunes around, capitulating with: "For now, we dont have the ultimate answer to give you and were embarassed by what just went down." ' ' '