VAL DISERE, France -- In the absence of established stars like Lindsey Vonn and Tina Maze, new faces are breaking through on the womens World Cup circuit.Especially Ilka Stuhec.The Slovenian won a World Cup Alpine combined race on Friday for her third victory this season -- having never finished higher than fourth before this year.Sitting in third spot after the mornings downhill, she ended up .12 seconds ahead of Michelle Gisin and .16 clear of Soffia Goggia following the slalom on the Oreiller-Killy course.Stuhec was fourth in the overall World Cup standings, while Goggia was up to second with her fifth podium in seven races this season. The Italian also had a career best of fourth before this season began.That was not the only thing these two skiers have in common. Their careers were hampered by multiple knee operations: Five for Stuhec and four for Goggia.Reflecting on those injuries, Stuhec said: I wouldnt change a thing, even though sometimes it was really, really hard. I learned a lot about myself and people around me.Goggia said injuries helped to forge her character.Its the hunger I have at the start gate. Im aching for more, always, she said. I can be really satisfied with who I am. The last injury three years ago was really heavy and it took two years for me to come back. Tough times, but Im here now.There should be plenty more points on offer for both, considering the situation in womens skiing.Vonn, the four-time overall World Cup champion, was recovering from a broken arm, while Maze -- the 2013 World Cup champion -- has retired. Two-time World Cup winner Anna Veith (nee Fenninger) was working her way back from a serious right-knee injury.Goggia, who was behind American slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin in the standings, played down her chances.Its a big goal, Goggia said. But at the moment not mine.Stuhecs two other wins this season were in downhill, both in Lake Louise.But prior to this year, she had finished only twice in the top five with a best of fourth in super-G three years ago.She changed her skis this summer, and her training.Most of the summer I spent with the mens speed team in Slovenia, Stuhec said. I tried to catch them every day and I was really building my confidence.Maze is Slovenias most famed skier and Stuhec never really became close with her.Honestly, I cannot say we are really friends, Stuhec said. Because she was most of the time separate from us, working alone.Gisin, meanwhile, clinched her first career podium. Her previous best was sixth last weekend in slalom in Sestriere.The Swiss skier was the younger sister of Dominique Gisin, who shared the 2014 Olympic downhill title with Maze.Big sister was watching from the bottom of the slope and burst into tears.She is helping me through so much, said Michelle Gisin, whose older brother Marc Gisin is a World Cup racer with a career best of fifth in downhill in January.Defending overall World Cup champion Lara Gut of Switzerland had a bad day, however.Sixth after the downhill run, she went off course midway through the slalom run.I know what (went wrong), Gut said. But I dont think its the right place to explain.Gut was third in the overall standings, 14 points behind Goggia and 105 behind Shiffrin.Shiffrin skipped Val dIsere and will return on Tuesday for the giant slalom in the nearby French Alpine resort of Courchevel.Gut will look to score heavily on Saturday in the downhill and on Sunday in a super-G.Baker Mayfield Browns Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Britton Colquitt Youth Jersey . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Youth-sheldrick-redwine-browns-jersey/ . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Antonio Callaway Browns Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Ozzie Newsome Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena.NATIONAL ANTHEM PROTESTSNEW YORK -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell disagrees with Colin Kaepernicks choice to kneel during the national anthem, but recognizes the quarterbacks right to protest.Asked by The Associated Press about Kaepernicks decision not to stand before games when the national anthem is played, Goodell said in an email Wednesday: I dont necessarily agree with what he is doing.I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we dont live in a perfect society, Goodell added. On the other hand, we believe very strongly in patriotism in the NFL. I personally believe very strongly in that.Goodell added that NFL players have a visible platform for their viewpoints. With that comes responsibility to use those platforms properly.SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Colin Kaepernick was encouraged that President Barack Obama recently weighed in on his national anthem protest by praising him for generating conversation about social issues.Obama said Monday that he had no doubt that the San Francisco 49ers quarterback is sincere and cares about some real, legitimate issues. He also said approvingly that Kaepernick has generated more national conversation about issues that need to be talked about since his refusal to stand for the anthem became public less than two weeks ago.Kaepernick did not stand for the national anthem all preseason and his protest became public after he sat before a home game against Green Bay on Aug. 26. Kaepernick has cited racial injustice and police brutality among the many reasons for his actions and said he plans to continue to not stand for the anthem during the regular season.BOYDS, Md. -- The Washington Spirit prevented Seattle midfielder Megan Rapinoe from kneeling again during the national anthem by altering its pregame ceremonies rather than subject our fans and friends to the disrespect we feel such an act would represent.The National Womens Soccer League team moved up the anthem, playing it while the teams were off the field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.On Sunday before the Reigns match in Chicago, Rapinoe knelt during the anthem in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick -- the San Francisco quarterback who has refused to stand during the anthem to protest racial injustice and minority oppression. She said at the time she planned to continue to kneel.Following the match, Rapinoe said she was saddened by the Spirits move.During the match a group of supporters chanted Let Her Kneel!AUTO RACINGLONDON -- Formula One is being bought by Liberty Media, a U.S. company that invests in entertainment and sportss, for $4.dddddddddddd4 billion.Liberty Media Corp., which is controlled by 75-year-old tycoon John Malone, has ended years of uncertainty about the ownership of the auto racing series with the deal.There will be continuity, with Bernie Ecclestone remaining the chief executive officer of F1. But the 85-year-old Ecclestone will have to work under a new chairman: Chase Carey, the executive vice chairman of Rupert Murdochs entertainment conglomerate 21st Century Fox.Formula One has hundreds of millions of fans, and Carey said in a statement that he sees opportunity to develop it. In an interview, Ecclestone said he is optimistic Liberty has the resources, expertise and outlook to drive the growth of F1 -- particularly in the United States.PARALYMPICSRIO DE JANEIRO -- The Paralympic Games opened with 4,350 athletes demonstrating first-hand their creed: The heart knows no limits; everybody has a heart.Wheelchair daredevil Aaron Wheelz showed the spirit in the opening act.As a countdown from 10 reached its end, Wheelz raced down a giant ramp and somersaulted in the air through a giant 0 on the stadium floor. That finished the countdown and shattered more stereotypes about what athletes with disabilities can do.The president of the International Paralympic Committee, Philip Craven, made a similar point with his speech. Craven, who lost the use of his legs in a rock-climbing fall at the age of 16, reminded Brazilians they have their own problems to overcome.Brazil is mired in its worst recession in generations. The country just removed its elected president, and these games needed a government bailout of almost $80 million to make it to the starting line.WRESTLINGMINNEAPOLIS -- Longtime Minnesota wrestling coach J Robinson was fired after the university said an investigation into an alleged drug ring within the program revealed he wasnt forthcoming to school officials and made unauthorized promises of amnesty to his athletes.Robinson coached the Gophers for 30 years and led the team to three national championships, developing a reputation as a hard-nosed, outspoken and occasionally combative figure on campus. His teams had as much success as any Gophers coach of his era, but he became embroiled in the drug scandal this spring when police investigated allegations that more than a dozen wrestlers sold and used the anti-anxiety drug Xanax.Police previously declined to file charges in the case, citing a lack of evidence. ' ' '