SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In six seasons in the NBA, ultra-talented Sacramento big man DeMarcus Cousins has already had six coaches and hasnt come close to sniffing a playoff berth.The struggles have weighed heavily on Cousins, who has feuded with many coaches out of frustration with the years of losing. His happiest times came when he played for one-plus season under defensive-minded coach Mike Malone.Cousins hopes a return to that style of coaching with the hiring of Dave Joerger this offseason will help the Kings turn things around in their debut season in their new downtown arena.Weve been here before. Weve been a defensive-minded team before and that was one of our better teams so Im excited for this, Cousins said. This is something that we needed. Coach is bringing a quality that we need and I think hes going to get us on the right path.The Kings have spent most of the past decade on the wrong path following the firing of Sacramentos only winning coach in Rick Adelman.In the 10 seasons since Adelman was fired, the Kings have failed to make the playoffs even once and have lost more games than any team other than Minnesota.Now with the new arena, new coach and star player in Cousins to build around, the Kings are hoping to lay the foundation for another run of success.We want to set the tone for what this season is about but also deeper thinking as far as what is it going to be three years from now, Joerger said. This is a starting point for that. Thats the way Im looking at it.Here are some other things to watch for with the Kings this season:NEW HOME: After years of uncertainty about their long-term future as a franchise while playing in a run-down arena, the Kings are excited to have a shiny new downtown home. The Golden 1 Center is a state-of-the-art facility that the team hopes provides a lift on the court and serves as an attraction to potential free agents in the future.AT THE POINT: The Kings will have to open the season without starting point guard Darren Collison for the first eight games after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. Collison was being counted on to replace the departed Rajon Rondo in the lineup and his absence will be felt early. Free agent acquisition Ty Lawson should get a shot to run the point in Collisons absence.Its been a difficult offseason but as a man you have to take responsibility, Collison said. I think right now whats best for my family is to move forward and try to focus on basketball. This has been my safe haven so far.OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE: After only experiencing losing in his first six seasons in the NBA, Cousins got a chance to feel what its like to be part of a winner this summer when he won a gold medal at the Olympics for the U.S. national team. Cousins hopes to use lessons he learned at the Olympics to help turn the Kings into a winner.We hit some adversity over there and I saw how we stayed together as a team, he said. Thats something that this team hasnt been great at. Hopefully I can bring that trait to this team.HOMECOMING: Among the offseason additions was forward Matt Barnes, who grew up in Sacramento and played for the team before the start of its decade-long playoff drought. Barnes has bounced around the league since being traded midway through his only season with the Kings in 2004-05 and spent last year in Memphis playing for Joerger.Its a dream come true to be back home, help the city celebrate this new arena, help the team get back to the playoffs, which I think were very capable of, he said. Im home.GOING BIG: While many teams in the NBA are going to small-ball lineups, the Kings will be bucking the trend a bit by starting two big men in Cousins and second-year player Willie Cauley-Stein. Cousins showed the ability last year to shoot from the outside and can also run the offense from the high post, making the two-big-man strategy possible. Cheap Wizards Jerseys . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Jack Marin Jersey . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/349k-chris-webber-jersey-wizards.html . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Earl Monroe Jersey .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Jeff Malone Jersey . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. ST. LOUIS -- Carlos Martinez pitched seven sharp innings, Jedd Gyorko hit his 29th homer, Brandon Moss homered to break out of a big slump and the St. Louis Cardinals stayed in the middle of the NL wild-card race.All that, but the most memorable moment in the Cardinals 7-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on a rainy Friday night was provided by Matt Holliday.Holliday launched a pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning in what could have been his final at-bat after 7 1/2 seasons in St. Louis.Holliday was given a standing ovation before he stepped into the batters box and was called out for a curtain call after he drove an 0-2 fastball into the right-field bullpen for his 20th homer.I still have chills, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. It was a great crowd and every one of them made that extremely special for him. It meant a great deal to him, probably more than what words can describe.Said longtime teammate Adam Wainwright: You cant make that stuff up.Everybody in the dugout was saying, man, it would be cool if he hit a home run. And he did it on an 0-2 pitch. You just dont see that.Holliday, out since Aug. 12 because of a thumb injury, was activated off the disabled list at his request Friday. The club informed him earlier this week that it is not planning to pick up the $17 million option on his contract for 2017, and instead will pay him the $1 million buyout.Holliday had left the clubhouse before the media was allowed in.The Cardinals began the day trailing San Francisco by one game for the second NL wild-card spot. The Giants played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.It was special for me watching it as an outsider, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. The career for him is not over but what a reception from a baseball ttown.dddddddddddd.Holliday became the sixth Cardinals player to reach 20 homers this season, tying an NL record. It was the first pinch-hit homer and RBI of Hollidays career and was the 17th overall by St. Louis this year, extending its major league mark.Martinez (16-9) gave up five singles, walked one and struck out nine in his career-high 31st start. John Jaso led off the second with a single and was the only runner to reach third base against Martinez, who left with a 3.04 ERA.Im been pleased with my starts all year, said Martinez, who said he dedicated the game to his friend Jose Fernandez, the Miami Marlins pitcher killed Sunday in a boating accident. I feel comfortable on the mound. Its not just a physical thing but being able to go out there and be comfortable.Tyler Glasnow (0-2) finished his rookie season with his most effective start, working five innings and giving up Gyorkos homer. Glasnow did not allow another Cardinal past second.The Cardinals took a 5-0 lead in the sixth with four runs off reliever Trevor Williams. Yadier Molina and Stephen Piscotty doubled in runs and Moss hit a two-run homer, his 28th.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: LF Starling Marte (back) was not in the lineup and is not expected to play in the final two games.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (5-4, 4.25 ERA) lasted two innings in his only start against the Cardinals, a 12-6 loss on Sept. 5.Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (7-7, 4.93) has allowed 10 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings over three relief appearances since returning from the DL. He was picked to start Saturdays game against the Pirates instead of struggling LHP Jaime Garcia. ' ' '