Die Macht » I tried to make him run.He acknowledge

LATROBE, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is happy to be playing football again after the All-Pro nearly had the game he loves taken from him.Pouncey suffered a broken ankle that required surgery in the Steelers third preseason game last season. He was placed on the teams short-term injured reserve and planned to return later in the season, but several unexpected setbacks threatened his career.He couldve lost his leg, Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster said. To have it almost taken away . that guys career almost ended. Hes excited to be back on the football field and Im looking forward to seeing him in the first preseason game.A severe infection set in, resulting in additional surgeries -- seven according to Pouncey, who underwent three major procedures and four he described as `clean ups.Playing football was never a concern, Pouncey said. The biggest concern was the infection. Whenever you have an infection, you cant predict that. The medicine really has to work the right way. Everybody was hoping for the best. You really cant blame anyone. Things happened and it went downhill.His teammates were concerned.He would get done with a surgery and go right back into another one, Foster said. It was trying. You can say its just cosmetic stuff, but thats painful and time consuming.Pouncey initially planned to return in late November at Seattle, a week after the teams bye.It makes it even more frustrating, having a chance (to return) and then losing it, but he handled it well, offensive line coach Mike Munchak said. Im sure it was depressing because you feel like youre not part of the team even though you still are. Its a hard thing mentally for a player.Members of the offensive line tried to help by going to his house every Thursday.It was very important because you feel left out, Foster said. He was just glad to have us around. He would order the food and he would pay for it. He wanted us there. When you have that type of situation, and you finally get him back healthy, hes not taking it for granted.Pouncey didnt hold back in his return either, taking part in spring offseason workouts. Hes participating fully during training camp practices at St. Vincent College.Hes a hard guy to rest because he only knows 100 percent, Munchak said. Well do our best to rest him, especially preseason when we can control him, but you cant be worried about things happening. Thats how he plays the game.Pouncey hopes for a return to form this season.He became the first center in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. The Steelers were confident enough to make Pouncey the highest paid center after he missed all but eight snaps of the 2013 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He followed it up with his second All-Pro and fourth Pro Bowl season in 2014.Theres really nothing he cant do, Munchak said. I think its the whole package that makes him special. Stitched Flames Jerseys . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Calgary Flames Shirts . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Fake Flames Jerseys . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Calgary Flames Store . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. NEW YORK -- Stan Wawrinka spent the first set of his U.S. Open semifinal letting Kei Nishikori push him around the court.On an evening so humid his racket slipped out of his hand during one swing, Wawrinka never panicked. Down a set and a break Friday, he upped the pressure and handled the big points better, emerging with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory.I had to wait, Wawrinka said. I had to fight.That describes his career, too. A player who didnt make his first Grand Slam semifinal until age 28 will now seek his third major title in as many years. The third-seeded Wawrinka faces No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Sunday in a rematch of the 2015 French Open final.Wawrinka upset the top-ranked Djokovic that day, just as he stunned a top-ranked Rafael Nadal for the 2014 Australian Open championship. Hes 2-0 in Grand Slam title matches and has won his last 10 tournament finals overall.The later the round, the better he seems to play. Thats certainly been the case this year at Flushing Meadows. Wawrinka needed to save a match point in the third round against 64th-ranked Dan Evans before prevailing in five sets. But the 31-year-old started to look more like a two-time major winner in his quarterfinal victory over 2009 champ Juan Martin del Potro.Nishikori came into Fridays match with an eye-popping 5-0 record against top-10 players at the U.S. Open, the only Grand Slam at which he has made the semis. He reached his lone major title match in 2014 at Flushing Meadows, losing to fellow first-time finalist Marin Cilic.The sixth-seeded Nishikori rallied to upset Andy Murray in five sets Wednesday, and he picked up where he left off at the outset of the semifinal. But with Wawrinka savingg six straight break points during one stretch in the second set, Nishikoris legs started to go.ddddddddddddI just tried to little by little play a little bit better, a little bit faster, a little bit heavier, Wawrinka said. I tried to make him run.He acknowledged that he, too, was suffering on the court. But Wawrinka knew he couldnt show it.Its important to not spend energy by being negative and show the opponent that youre struggling, he said.Nishikori was flexing his legs between points, trudging slowly to his chair on changeovers. Still, he wouldnt go away. Down a break in both the third and fourth sets, he broke back each time. But he just didnt have enough left to pull ahead and couldnt take advantage of enough openings on Wawrinkas serve. Nishikori was 4 of 15 on break-point chances.Thats really disappointing, especially second set, Nishikori said. That was the biggest mistake. After that he was playing better.Even the closure of the roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium didnt help Nishikori this time. Against Murray, that seemed to swing momentum toward Nishikori, making the conditions more favorable for his game. But after rain forced the roof to shut midway through the third set Friday, it was Wawrinka who would go on to break in the final game -- just as he did in the second set.He celebrates by pointing to his temple, a reminder that sometimes I dont find always myself comfortable on the court -- I have to fight with myself.Thats when Im happy with myself and proud of myself, Wawrinka said, when I stay strong with what I want to do. ' ' '