Baugebiete » pointed Ukrainian Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) to lift the WBA, WB

PHOENIX -- Penny Taylor looked sad, of course, but also irritated and disappointed as she left the court. She is an intense competitor, and her Phoenix Mercury being swept in the WNBA semifinals was an affront to her fighting spirit.Its not that she didnt acknowledge how good the victorious Minnesota Lynx are. We definitely lost to a better team, she said.But Taylor, who finished her stellar WNBA career with Sundays 82-67 loss, wanted her last stand to be a real battle to the end. It wasnt -- the Lynx didnt allow it to be -- but no one could doubt that Taylor gave everything she had, despite going 0 of 7 from the field.Oh, lets not look at that, she said later when glancing at the printed box score after the game, a show of her usual good humor.Her four points all came on free throws, including two in the first quarter after her face hit the floor in a scramble for the ball.Getting up slowly, in obvious pain, but then going to the line with determination and hitting both foul shots? Vintage Penny Taylor.I just wanted to make sure my face was still there, she joked. And then after that, I was fine. But, yeah, it gets harder. Today was hard, physically. In a way, it reinforces that there is an expiration date for everyone. Some days, you feel good. Today wasnt one of them.No, but there were a lot of days -- a lot of years, actually -- when Taylor soared.At the root of anybody that good is a burning competitive desire, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. There were so many facets to her game. I felt like every time I was scouting her, I would say, Penny Taylor is so good. She had a tenacity about her.Reeve can recall specific defensive plays that Taylor made over the years against the Lynx, and how she forced opponents into mistakes.She was so feisty and incredibly smart, Reeve said.Taylor might next take those qualities to the sidelines; she has an interest in becoming a coach. And the Mercury will have to move on without a player who has meant so much to the organization and the fans in Phoenix.Diana Taurasi, who had 12 points Sunday, will be 35 next year. Brittney Griner, who just completed her fourth WNBA season, is entering her peak years, but had an uneven performance at times in 2016. There are questions the Mercury will have to answer for 2017.Taylor has been an integral part of three WNBA championship teams. Phoenix has had to play without her before, including in 2015, when she sat out the season to rest. But this time, shes not coming back.Taylor was the last standing of the star players who retired this year: Indianas Tamika Catchings, New Yorks Swin Cash, fellow Australian Lauren Jackson and DeLisha Milton-Jones.Late in Sundays game, the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena gave Taylor a loud ovation when Mercury coach Sandy Brondello subbed her out. And as the closing seconds ticked away, the fans began to chant her name, Penny, Penny, Penny.Taylor came into the WNBA as the 11th pick in the 2001 draft, when she was just a 19-year-old from the other side of the world. She was picked by Cleveland, and when that franchise disbanded, she was the top selection by Phoenix in the dispersal draft.The Mercury faithful immediately loved her, and their affection was returned. In fact, any WNBA fan who wanted a selfie with Taylor got one; she has been a fantastic ambassador for the league. At some point, thats likely to continue as she moves to a new role outside of playing.I think that its important that players who understand professional basketball stay involved with it, she said. But I have a lot to still learn. When youre in the game, its so easy to get lost in your part of it. But in coaching, you always have to look at the whole.I am looking forward to that personal part of it where I can help players individually, which is something I feel like I could possibly be good at.The fact that a player with Taylors basketball acumen talks about how much she doesnt know is an indicator of why she has been such a great teammate. Shes always that humble.So we leave it to Brondello to state definitively: Whatever she does, whatever she puts her mind to, shell be great.Although Taylor wants a bit of a rest first.Im just going to enjoy doing nothing, and see how long that lasts, she said. I have a feeling not very long. But when I look back, I started professionally at roughly 16, so its a good stretch. And Ive loved every minute of it.Taylor has traveled the globe in her career, playing for the Australian national team, in overseas leagues, and in the WNBA. During that time, both of her parents died of cancer. But basketball has been, and will continue to be, a comfort to her.My mother used to keep everything, because I wasnt very good at doing that, Taylor said of memorabilia. For a while there, I didnt know where my [Olympic] silver medals were. Because were always moving as basketball players.But even if I dont have the physical things, the memories are what I carry with me, and thats all that matters. sWell Bottle Sale 17oz . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Swell Water Bottle Cheap . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.swellwaterbottlesale.com/Swell-Traveler-Bottle-Sale/ . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Swell Water Bottle Sale . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Swell Bottle Wood Cheap . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Tyson Furys rematch with Wladimir Klitschko has finally been confirmed to take place at Manchester Arena on Oct. 29 after two months of speculation and negotiations.The date and venue has been in place for a while but official confirmation had been delayed and the fight even looked in jeopardy when last month it was revealed WBA-WBO world heavyweight champion Fury is facing alleged doping offences.The fight was initially scheduled for July 9 but had to be postponed because Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) injured an ankle while running.Everyone involved has worked tirelessly to get the world heavyweight title rematch between Tyson and Wladimir back on and Im thrilled that its now officially confirmed, said Furys promoter Mick Hennessy.This is the rematch that the boxing world has been waiting to see and the anticipation is now at boiling point so expect a highly charged and explosive fight when the best two heavyweights in the world collide.It will be a crucial few days in the career of Fury, who pulled off a big shock when he out-pointed Ukrainian Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) to lift the WBA, WBO and IBF worlld titles in Germany in November, 2015.ddddddddddddKlitschko, 40, had reigned as world champion for nearly a decade.Fury, 28, faces a National Anti-Doping Panel hearing on Nov. 4 when he will face being stripped of his world titles and given a ban if he is found guilty of taking a banned substance.UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) agency revealed a month ago that it had charged Fury and cousin Hughie for using a banned substance on June 24.Fury and fellow heavyweight Hughie strongly deny doping while Hennessy told ESPN that he believes the allegations are a conspiracy against the Fury family.Klitschko said last month he planned to take legal action over the protracted negotiations for a rematch.But Bernd Bonte, of Klitschko Management Group, said: Team Klitschko is very happy, that after Fury`s postponements, we finally have a new date. It is great that our event can stay in the Manchester Arena. This is one of the best venues world-wide and has already seen many great fights. ' ' '