had his own personal great one watching his back: Marty McS

BARCELONA, Spain -- Atletico Madrid sweated out a 1-0 victory over Villarreal without leading scorer Diego Costa to stay top of the Spanish league on Saturday, while Lionel Messi scored two goals in Barcelonas 3-1 win over Real Betis to stay one point behind. Gareth Bales long-range goal helped make sure Real Madrid didnt miss star Cristiano Ronaldo as it cruised to a 4-0 victory at Real Sociedad, staying within three points of the pacesetters in third place. Messi converted a 14th-minute penalty and followed up a second spot kick that was blocked by goalkeeper Adan Garrido to seal the victory in the 86th. Messi recorded his 24th and 25th league goals of the season -- pulling him level with Diego Costa as the leagues second-leading scorers behind Ronaldos 28 -- but Barcelona again showed problems in defence that last-placed Betis failed to fully exploit. Earlier, Atleticos Raul Garcia scored in the 14th and Diego Simeones side held out to deny Villarreal in the second half as it stayed undefeated at its Vicente Calderon stadium through 17 league games this season. "We didnt have the strength and energy that we have had on other days," said Simeone. "But my team played smart, and when you play smart you make up for the lack of energy to pull out the win." Atletico hopes Diego Costa will recover from a right thigh injury for Wednesdays Champions League quarterfinal with Barcelona after they drew 1-1 in the first leg. Atletico then has six games left as it tries to claim its first league title since 1996. While David Villa was ineffective before being substituted with half an hour to play, Garcia again proved his value to Atletico as a versatile attacking midfielder by pushing aside his marker to head in Jorge "Koke" Resurreccions corner kick. Also, Rayo Vallecano won 3-0 at home over Celta Vigo to get its fifth win in seven rounds and move six points from the relegation zone. Barcelona unfurled a banner in the Camp Nou stands before the match that read "Hands Off La Masia," referring to FIFAs one-year transfer ban after footballs governing body found the Catalan club guilty of breaching regulations in signing youth players for its renowned training academy. Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu also said that he had a "friendly and cordial conversation" with FIFA president Joseph Blatter about the ban. "We are going through some tough times, but we have managed to isolate ourselves and concentrate on the matches," Barcelona forward Pedro Rodriguez said. Messi put Barcelona in charge after Alexis Sanchez was fouled by defender Jordi Figueras in the area. Barcelona started to show the same drop in energy that had affected Atletico after Xavi Hernandezs free kick grazed the crossbar. But just when Betis was playing its best, Figueras gifted Barcelona a goal by knocking Adrianos pass into his own net in the 67th. A minute later substitute Ruben Castro scored for Betis with Barcelona disorganized at the back, using a feint to make two defenders slide to the turf before he poked the ball beyond goalkeeper Jose Pinto. Messi finally calmed the nervous crowd after Antonio Amaya handled Neymars cross in the box. Adan saved Messis first try and even recovered to get a glove on his follow-up effort, only to see the ball trickle over the goalline. With Ronaldo nursing his hurt left knee, Madrids visit to Sociedad was billed as its toughest outing left in the league. Instead it proved to be a pleasant trip to San Sebastian, as Madrid put together a no-nonsense performance highlighted by Bales outstanding strike. Sociedads early push sputtered out when its former player Asier Illarramendi tilted the game in Madrids favour just before halftime by scoring a rebound from Karim Benzemas shot that goalie Claudio Bravo pushed down in front of his net. After Sergio Ramos and Benzema had both hit the woodwork, Bale pounced on Bravos scuffed goal kick that fell to him 30-meters outside the area before quickly unleashing a blistering left-footed strike to seal the result in the 66th. Pepe swept in Madrids third in the 85th before substitute Alvaro Morata scored with two minutes to play. Antonio Morrison Jersey . -- The NFL Players Association wants to determine if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaked information about quarterback Josh Freeman being in the NFLs substance abuse program. Matthias Farley Jersey . Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves to backstop the Penguins to a 2-1 victory over the Flames, handing Calgary its team record sixth consecutive home regulation loss. http://www.officialindianapoliscoltsfootball.com/authentic-marshall-faulk-jersey-womens .com) - The 2014 Holiday Bowl is the first postseason venture pitting a pair of ranked foes against each other, as No. Kenny Moore Jersey . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Jack Doyle Jersey .com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to get back on track Monday night when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to Chesapeake Energy Arena.PHILADELPHIA - Dave Schultz would drop his gloves in a flash, his bare fists pummeling away at unprotected faces in fits of fury so ferocious he became known as The Hammer.Schultz was the intimidating backbone of Philadelphias Broad Street Bullies teams of the 1970s that won a pair of Stanley Cup championships. The Flyers rugged style of play became their calling card, and rare was the NHL team that didnt have a tough guy or two whose primary role was to protect his teammates by brute force.Fast forward 40 years since the Flyers last championship and players like Schultz are having a harder time sticking in the NHL. The role of the enforcer is seemingly going down without a fight as speed and skill on every line have become the norm.In a league that is also facing head injury concerns — and lawsuits — is it finally time to say goodbye to the goon?They just wanted to take fighting out of the game, Schultz said. Its not the same game.But not necessarily a worse one.The true signal the culture in the NHL has changed comes from Schultzs old stomping grounds. For the first time since the organization was in its infancy, the Flyers opened the season without a true enforcer on their roster. Heck, their biggest threat might be goalie Ray Emery, who headlined a fight last season against Washingtons unwilling goalie, Braden Holtby.Weve got some toughness on our team, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said. Weve got some guys that can handle themselves. But I think when you look, there werent a lot of fights in the preseason. There are never any fights in the playoffs. In between, theres been less and less.The numbers back up the former NHL goalie.There were 143 fights through the first 408 games of the season, which projects to 431 fights overall, according to hockeyfights.com. Thats a dramatic dip from 734 fights in 2008-09 and 714 fights in 2009-10. The number of fights fell into the 500s in 2011-12 and the 400s last season (there were 347 fights in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season).The NHL has toughened instigation penalties in place since the 1930s. It added a two-minute minor for the player who started the fight in the 1990s, looking to both cut down on brawling and perhaps attract more casual fans. Of late, the NHL is dishing out longer suspensions for cheap shots and illegal hits, erasing some of the players unwritten code of justice.That tells you, lets just play hockey, Schultz said. And when theres a problem, the league will take care of it.That role used to be left to the enforcers, the de faccto bodyguards for the stars.dddddddddddd Back on the put-up-your-dukes heyday, even Wayne Gretzky had his own personal great one watching his back: Marty McSorley was the Hall of Famers first line of thuggish defence, serving and protecting Gretzky in stints with Edmonton and Los Angeles.I remember when guys like Gretzky said, we want guys to be able to protect us, Schultz said. (Sidney) Crosby doesnt want to be protected. By the league, yes. But not by one of his teammates.Stu Grimson, the colour analyst on Nashville Predators TV broadcasts, was known as The Grim Reaper with 2,113 career penalty minutes in his NHL career. He said fighting still has a role in the game, especially at home games where one entertaining scrum can shift momentum and liven up the fans.I think the fight itself, there is a purpose for it, and you can put your finger on that purpose, he said. I think it makes sense to keep that in the game, and I think its valuable to the game for that reason.Chicago Blackhawks forward Dan Carcillo said fights arent going to completely vanish, either.I dont think the mindless, senseless, go out and fight, rah-rah, for no reason, I dont think that has a place in the game anymore, Carcillo said. If guys take runs at other players, I think those players that take the run at them, whether they fight or not, they have to know in the back of their mind that theres still fighting in this game and theyre going to have to answer the bell or respond to it if theyre going to take dirty runs or cheap shots.But in the back of everyone minds is the risk of concussions and other long-term health risks that come with trading punches on the ice. The idea that brawling was as much fun as a nasty wreck in NASCAR or bench-clearing brawl in baseball came to a jarring halt in 2011 when three former enforcers were found dead.Derek Boogaard, once named in a Sports Illustrated players poll as the NHLs toughest fighter, died from an accidental mix of alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone. Wade Belak hanged himself and Rick Rypien was discovered at his home after suffering from depression for a decade.The 65-year-old Schultz said he suffered nothing more than a couple of minor concussions and feels fine.We didnt hit anyone near as hard as they do today, Schultz said.There are just now far fewer of those hits.Its still an exciting sport, Schultz said. Its just evolving. Its the way it is._____AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver and Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report. Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '