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NEW YORK -- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered the swiftest, strongest penalty he could, then called on NBA owners to force Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to sell the team for making racist comments that hurt the league. Almost unanimously, owners supported the commissioner Tuesday, as he handed down one of the harshest penalties in the history of U.S. sports. "We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterlings views. They simply have no place in the NBA," Silver said at a news conference. Sterling, 80, is banned for life from any association with the league or the Clippers, and was fined $2.5 million -- the maximum allowable under the NBA constitution. If three-fourths of the other 29 owners agree to Silvers recommendation, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981. A message left seeking comment at Sterlings business office hadnt been returned Tuesday afternoon. Team spokesman Seth Burton said in an email that the Clippers had no plans to issue a statement from Sterling on Tuesday. Players and others cheered Silvers quick action, with union officials saying that if the leagues punishment hadnt included a mandate for Sterling to sell the team, players were considering boycotting playoff games, including Tuesdays Golden State Warriors-Clippers matchup, the teams first home game since the scandal erupted. "We wanted to be a part of this decision, and we wanted Adam Silver to know where we stood. And we were very clear that anything other than Sterling selling his team was not going to be enough for us," said Roger Mason Jr., the first vice-president of the players union. Chris Paul, the Clippers All-Star point guard and the president of the players union, issued a brief statement before leading Los Angeles against the Warriors in Game 5 of their tied playoff series. "In response to todays ruling by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver, my teammates and I are in agreement with his decision," Paul said. "We appreciate the strong leadership from Commissioner Silver and he has our full support." Sterlings comments -- which were recorded by his girlfriend and released by TMZ on Saturday -- harmed the league, Silver said. Sponsors were threatening to abandon the NBA, and criticism was coming from fans on social media and even the White House. Sterling criticized V. Stiviano -- purportedly the female voice on the recording -- for posting pictures of herself with black athletes Magic Johnson and Matt Kemp. "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that youre associating with black people. Do you have to?" Sterling asks the woman on the recording. "Sentiments of this kind are contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse, multicultural and multiethnic league," Silver said. The NBAs longest-tenured owner keeps his team for now -- and Silver said he didnt know if Sterling would fight to do so permanently. But he cant attend games or practices, cant be involved in any personnel decisions or participate in board of governors meetings. Just three days after the scandal broke, and hours before the Clippers hosted their biggest game of the season, Silver apologized to some of the leagues black pioneers while meting out a punishment he believed would satisfy outraged players and fans. Sterlings Clippers have been one of the most incompetent franchises in pro sports, and nearly all of their previous seasons would have been finished by now. But after the most successful two-year stretch in Clippers history, the current team is a title contender led by Doc Rivers, a black coach whom Sterling brought in from Boston and paid $7 million a year. "(Silver) made the decision that really was the right one that had to be made," Rivers said before the Clippers game. "I dont think this is something that we rejoice in or anything like that. I told the players about the decision, and I think they were just happy there was a resolution and that its over, at least the start of it. I think were all in a better place because of this." Silver said the ban applied only to Sterling, and there had been no discussions about whether he could sell to a family member. Many owners supported Silver, and none of them publicly defended Sterling. "We applaud the firm punishment handed out today by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and appreciate the swiftness with which the NBA conducted its investigation," Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said in a statement. The fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts, Silver said. Sterling, with an estimated net worth of about $2 billion, did not comment, though Silver said he did not apologize for his remarks. Silver said Sterling confirmed that he was the person on the recording. Silver hasnt even been on the job three months and already had to face a crisis that threatened the league not only financially -- with several companies ending or suspending their sponsorships of the Clippers -- but more importantly, socially. The NBA survived the Indiana Pacers brawl with Detroit Pistons fans, and referee Tim Donaghy betting on games he officiated. But this brought a different level of outrage, particularly because the league could have done something sooner about Sterling, who has faced federal charges of civil rights violations and racial discrimination in his business dealings. "This has all happened in three days, and so I am hopeful there will be no long-term damage to the league and to the Clippers organization," Silver said. "But as I said earlier, Im outraged so I certainly understand other peoples outrage." After the announcement, the Clippers website had a simple message: "We are one." "We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver today. Now the healing process begins," the Clippers added in a statement. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Raptors, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon. "As a proud member of the National Basketball Association, we stand strongly in our belief that the comments attributed to Mr. Sterling have no place in our society or sport. Our organization will always work to contribute to a culture of diversity and acceptance in this league and fully support the actions taken today. We thank commissioner Adam Silver, and all of the NBA players, for their leadership on this important issue." Rivers cancelled practice Monday and declined a meeting request from Sterling. He wouldnt address whether he would return next season if Sterling were still in control, a stance reaffirmed by the coach before Game 5 of the Clippers playoff series with Golden State. That might not be an issue if the owners vote to oust the owner. Sterling is estranged from his wife and had been dating Stiviano, 31. In court documents, Stiviano describes him as a man "with a big toothy grin brandishing his sexual prowess in the faces of the Paparazzi and caring less what anyone else thought, the least of which, his own wife." Silver said when he first heard the audio, he hoped it had been altered or was fake, but thought it was Sterling. And it doesnt matter if Sterling didnt realize he was being recorded, Silver said. "Whether or not these remarks were initially shared in private, theyre now public, and they represent his views." Connor Murphy Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran guard Davin Joseph, a mainstay on their offensive line over the past eight seasons. Patrick Kane Jersey . 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First up is the Calgary Flames - a rebuilding franchise with promising young players like Johnny Gaudreau. Catch up on their off-season moves and the issues they face this season, as well as their analytical breakdown by TSNs Scott Cullen. Division: Pacific GM: Brad Treliving Head Coach: Bob Hartley 2013-14: 35-40-7 (6th in Pacific) Playoffs: Did not qualify Goals For: 202 (23rd) Goals Against: 238 (24th) PP: 15.7% (24th) PK: 81.7% (18th) That Was Then: The Flames knew the 2013-14 season was going to be an uphill climb. A year removed from dealing away long-time captain and franchise face and Jarome Iginla, seeing the retirement of netminder Miikka Kiprusoff and just months removed from devastating floods that put the Saddledome partially under water; rebuilding was certainly on their mind at all levels. Mark Giordano was named the 19th captain in team history led a cast of new faces alongside veteran holdovers like Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross. The team got a boost straight out of training camp with 2013 sixth-overall pick Sean Monahan stepping right off the draft floor and into the line-up. The former Ottawa 67 suited up in the teams season opener and scored his first goal in the teams second game of the season. The Flames went 5-5-2 to start the year, spending much of October above .500. But injuries took their toll with Glencross and Giordano both going down for several weeks. In December, Brian Burke - brought in at the start of the season as president of hockey operations - started putting his plan into motion for the front office and fired GM Jay Feaster and assistant GM John Weisbrod. Burke took over for the duration of the season. The home losses then piled up and the Flames set a new record for consecutive home defeats with seven between Dec. 27 and Jan. 16. Despite Giordano receiving some Norris Trophy votes and Jiri Hudler putting up solid numbers (54, his second-highest single-season point total), Calgary finished with the fourth-worst record in the league. Scott Cullens Analytics Flames 2013-14 stats by Quarter Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS% 1-20 2.70 3.50 8.4 .892 48.0% .375 21-41 1.90 2.48 6.7 .918 43.7% .452 42-62 2.29 2.71 7.3 .914 50.0% .500 63-82 3.05 2.75 9.8 .907 47.8% .550 NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8 .922 50.0% .562 Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score), PTS%= percentage of available points. Analysis: Games 1-20: Poor goaltending by Ramo and Berra undermined the seasons start. Games 21-41: Possession game plummeted to 43.7% and scoring/shooting dried up. Games 42-62: Possession game improved - driven by Giordano, Brodie, Backlund. Games 63-82: Scoring/shooting improved to season-best marks. Key 2014 Additions: F Brandon Bollig, D Deryk Engelland, G Jonas Hiller, F Mason Raymond, F Devin Setoguchi Key 2014 Subtractions: D Chris Butler, F Mike Cammalleri, F T.J. Galiardi, C Blair Jones, G Joey MacDonald, D Shane OBrien, D Derek Smith, F Ben Street This Is Now: The rebuilding continues, but now its Brad Trelivings job after Burke selected the former Coyotes assistant to be the eighth GM in club history. Cammalleris second tenure with the Flames came to an end, as the 32-year-old opted to sign with the New Jersey Devils in unrestricted free agency. The Flames hope that new additions Mason Raymond - who enjoyed a renaissance campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season - and Devin Setoguchi are able to pick up the scoring slack on the wing. The good news up the middle is that the future may be set. It just might take a couple years still to fully reap the rewards of two high-end young centres. Monahan had a good rookie season, logging in 15:59 in average ice-time and scoring 22 goals in 75 games. The Flames need him to build on that if they hope to move up the standings. The Flames landed another gem in the draft in June, taking Sam Bennett fourth overall. The Kingston Frontenacs centre was ranked second in TSN Director of Scouting Craig Buttons final draft ranking and third in Bob McKenzies consensus ranking. Whether he can follow Monahans lead and crack the line-up out of camp remains to be seen, but after 91 points in 57 games in the OHL last season he may be given a fair chance to do so. In goal, veteran Jonas Hiller arrives via free agency and the former Anaheim Duck enters camp as the Flames top option in net. The team also added some size and grit to its line-up, acquiring Brandon Bollig from the Chicago Blackhawks on the draft floor. Bollig comes with a winning pedigree, having already won a Stanley Cup. He and newly-acquired muscle Deryk Engelland (who signed a three-year, $8.7 million contract) will be integral in keeping the opposition honest against a young roster with Monahan, Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund still finding their feet in the league. The rest is up to the veteran holdovers. If Hudler can have another strong season and if Giordano can stay healthy and continue to provide strong leadership, the Flames might win a few more games than they should. Calgary is still very much a team with its eyes on the future. But thee closer their young core gets to competing early, the brighter the future will be.dddddddddddd TSN Calgary reporter Jermain Franklins Five Key Storylines heading into training camp: 1. What impact will Johnny Gaudreau (a.k.a. Johnny Hockey) have in his rookie NHL season? The 21-year-old Boston College standout and 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner, who scored a goal in his only NHL game last season, has dominated at every level on his path to the NHL. Size - Gaudreau is just five-foot-nine and 150 pounds - has not held him back so far, but will it in the worlds biggest and best league? Bennett is looking to force his way into the lineup as Monahan did last season. 2. Is Jonas Hiller still a No. 1 NHL goalie? The Flames signed Hiller to a two-year deal that pays him $1.75 million more than Karri Ramo this season, yet they insist it will be a full competition for the top goaltending position. Hiller is motivated to prove hes still a starter after losing the No. 1 position in Anaheim first to Frederik Andersen during the regular season and again to rookie John Gibson in the playoffs. 3. Will Bob Hartley continue to have his players focused? Despite finishing 27th in the league last season, the Flames earned a reputation for being a tough team to play against. The Flames were competitive because they gave their maximum effort every night. Can Bob Hartley continue to motivate this team or will the message get stale if the losses pile up for another season? 4. How will the new acquisitions fit in? Forwards Mason Raymond, Devin Setoguchi and Brandon Bollig, defenceman Deryk Engelland and goaltender Jonas Hiller are Calgarys key summer additions. Bollig and Engelland add size and toughness while Raymond is being counted on to supply speed and offence to soften the blow of losing top goal producer Mike Cammalleri. 5. How will new GM Brad Treliving put his stamp on the team? Treliving faces a huge challenge in his first job at the helm of an NHL team after seven seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. Calgary has missed the playoffs for five straight years, the third-longest such streak in the league (tied with Carolina and Columbus and behind only Edmontons eight and the Jets franchises seven). DEPTH CHART Forwards Left Wing Centre Right Wing Curtis Glencross Mikael Backlund Jiri Hudler Mason Raymond Sean Monahan Joe Colborne Johnny Gaudreau Matt Stajan David Jones Brandon Bollig Lance Bouma Brian McGrattan Paul Byron Markus Granlund Devin Setoguchi Sven Baertschi Sam Bennett Ben Hanowski Defence Left Right Mark Giordano T.J. Brodie Kris Russell Dennis Wideman Ladislav Smid Deryk Engelland Tyler Wotherspoon John Ramage Mark Cundari Keegan Kanzig Patrick Sieloff Sena Acolatse Goaltenders Jonas Hiller Karri Ramo Joni Ortio Craigs List A list of the Flames top prospects as ranked by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button. A-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 1 Johnny Gaudreau LW Boston College (HE) 2 Sam Bennett C Kingston (OHL) 3 Markus Granlund C Abbotsford (AHL) 4 Mark Jankowski C Providence (HE) 5 Mason McDonald G Charlottetown (QMJHL) B-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 6 Morgan Klimchuk LW Regina (WHL) 7 Emile Poirier RW Gatineau (QMJHL) 8 Tyler Wotherspoon D Abbotsford (AHL) 9 Max Reinhart C Abbotsford (AHL) 10 Joni Ortio G Abbotsford (AHL) Fantasy - Cullens Player to Watch Johnny Gaudreau Any rookie forward that is poised to get regular playing time can be interesting from a fantasy perspective, but Gaudreau is no ordinary rookie. The Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey last year, Gaudreau scored 80 points in 40 games as a junior for Boston College. Using typical league equivalency calculations, 21-year-old Gaudreau should be projected for 50-plus points as a rookie, this on a team that returns one player (Hudler) that scored more than 50 points last season. There are concerns about Gaudreaus size and whether that will hinder his adjustment to the pro game, but if he has an adequate supporting cast to help generate offence, Gaudreau is one of the few Flames with high-end offensive potential. Cheap Steelers Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Eagles Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Cheap Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys ' ' '