ective NHL teams, which is why nobody has to stand up and deliver

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Joey Logano hung pictures and changed lightbulbs at home. Jamie McMurray tinkered around with his radio controlled car. Chris Buescher shrugged his shoulders, wasnt much he or fellow drivers could after qualifying for Sundays Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway was cancelled because of Hurricane Hermine.Im definitely disappointed we couldnt qualify, Buescher said. On the flip side of that, what are you going to do? Were along for the ride when it comes to Mother Nature.And its been a soggy ride for Sprint Cup teams in recent weeks as weather once more engulfed NASCAR.Rain delayed the Pocono race that was scheduled for Sunday, July 31 until the following day, while Bristols Saturday night showcase last month also had to finish a day late because of heavy storms in East Tennessee that race weekend.At Darlington, Hermine shoved her way into the picture and forced NASCAR to call off qualifying for the Sprint Cup and Xfinity series, deciding it was more important to use Saturdays track time -- the forecast calls for sunshine and minimal rain chances the rest of the weekend -- for precious practice time on Darlingtons egg-shaped layout.The Xfinity race is set to run Saturday afternoon with the Southern 500 on Sunday night.Still, the cancelled activities gave drivers some unexpected downtime to fill.This is weird. Im home right now, Logano said Friday. It doesnt feel right.Buescher has been helped and hurt by the weather.The rookie driver for Front Row Motorsports was leading at Pocono when rains finally ended things, gaining the victory that would qualify him for the Chase as long as he finished within the top 30 in points after next weeks Richmond race.Buescher rose up to No. 30 two weeks ago with his fifth-place finish at Bristol, yet finished 35th at Michigan last Sunday and is just seven points ahead of David Ragan -- and falling out of the Chase -- headed to Darlington.Buescher will start 31st on Sunday and knows he wouldve begun much higher if qualifying had gone on before Hermines interference.Thats a little bit of a bummer, he said.Logano, who completed a honey-do list from wife Brittany with his down time, had hoped to be at Darlington to enjoy the throwback festivities as 36 of 40 teams are using special paint schemes to honor NASCAR history.Logano is driving a Shell-sponsored car that Bobby Labonte drove to the companys first victory in 1996 at Nashville Speedway, now part of the Xfinity Series.I wish we were down there today and the weather was nice so we could see some of those beauties, Logano said of the throwback Sprint cars.Logano, whos best finish in seven career Sprint Cup races at Darlington was a fourth last September, was glad that NASCAR made the decision to wipe out Fridays sessions early enough that teams and crew members werent caught between the track and hotels waiting out delays.This is a lot better situation to deal with it, stay at home, spend some time with your family, Logano said.Kevin Harvick will start on the pole with the field set by owners points. Brad Keselowski is second followed by Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and Logano. Kyle Busch is sixth, ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin with Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth closing out the top 10.Jeff Gordon, the seven-time Darlington winner subbing once again for injured Dale Earnhardt Jr., starts 15th. Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday that Earnhardt would miss the rest of the season because of concussion-like symptoms from a crash at Michigan in July.McMurray, who holds the 16th and final spot in the Chase standings, did not let the washout spoil the good feelings he has entering the weekend. Hell start 13th on Sunday and believes he can enhance his position.Thats going to be a good track for us, McMurray said. I feel really good heading in. Colton Sissons Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Nashville Predators Jerseys . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. http://www.authenticpredatorspro.com/Austin-watson-predators-jersey/ .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Mattias Ekholm Predators Jersey . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Juuse Saros Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. TORONTO -- The leadership core of this cool-as-they-come machine called Team Canada was born out of the most pressurized environment one could ever imagine for the sport of hockey.The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, was a must-win hockey tournament for the sports birth nation following Canadas tremendously disappointing flameout at the Torino Winter Games in Italy four years earlier.A silver medal in 2010 would have been deemed a disaster. It was akin to Brazil hosting soccers World Cup. It is beyond belief how much pressure there was in Vancouver.To have been able to come through with a gold medal in that environment six years ago spawned a whole new era for Team Canadas core stars -- led by Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Shea Weber, Drew Doughty and Ryan Getzlaf -- and produced the kind of belief and quiet confidence that has set this team apart on its way to the World Cup of Hockey finals.The best-of-three championship series against Team Europe begins Tuesday.Add in the same head coach since Vancouver in Mike Babcock and youve got the kind of continuity over three best-on-best tournaments that has led to a certain know-how you cant buy.Obviously, its important, Babcock said over the weekend. When we had the graybeards that year in 2010 with Nieds and Prongs and Iggy, I mean, they provided great stabilization for us in the room. And Boiler was on that team, and there was some good, good, good men who had been around a long time to help these kids. These kids now arent kids any more. ... I trust them, and I think they trust me.Babcock was referring to the veteran presence of Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Jarome Iginla and Dan Boyle, which in that frying pan of a tournament in 2010 helped ease the transition to Team Canadas current generation of leaders.It was a pretty jam-packed and pressure-packed moment, and you look at how all those guys performed, it was pretty remarkable, Pronger said Monday over the phone.Dont kid yourself though. The presence of Hall of Famers such as Pronger and Niedermayer helped those young stars handle the moment at hand in Vancouver.I especially remember Nieds, because I was so fortunate to play with him and sat beside him in the locker room, Weber said Monday after practice. He was just a calming influence. He was never a guy that was really that vocal. He said things, but he wasnt always chirping -- just that guy where there was never a doubt in his mind -- and II think that really calms a room.dddddddddddd. You can learn a lot from those guys in those situations.Reached Monday, Niedermayer, ever humble, downplayed his role.The way Toews and Crosby play, I mean, its impressive, he said. Obviously, extremely talented players, but neither feel theyre too good to do the little dirty jobs that need to be done. Throughout my career, that really impresses me when you see a guy like that thats willing to do that for his team.Those two guys were born leaders. If we happened to pass on a few things that we learned from other guys, great, but I think those two guys were going to figure it out on their own.Babcock is quick to remind people that Weber is just as important in that Crosby-Toews leadership group.Hes as good a human being as Ive ever been around, Babcock said of Weber. He doesnt have to say much. He just has to look at you, and you snap into shape. He cuts a big swath out there. ... What I like about him best is when he walks in the dressing room, you know its business. And so hes a culture-type person. He makes your franchise better when he walks in the door.The fact is, Team Canada has leaders all over the dressing room. Most of them wear a letter on their respective NHL teams, which is why nobody has to stand up and deliver a speech.Theres not one voice thats the most present in the room, I dont think, Doughty said. Everyones kind of got the things they want to say either to the team or just to your linemates or D partners. Everyone is chipping in on that, and we look for that from everyone.Its why when Canada somehow was in a tie game after 40 minutes in Saturdays semifinal despite massively outplaying Russia that you could hear a pin drop in the Canadian dressing room. Been there, done that; the back-to-back Olympic champs just stuck to the game plan and hammered the Russians in the third period.Leadership also is accepting your role. There are star players on Team Canada playing fewer minutes than theyre used to. Nobody is complaining.Its impressive, Niedermayer said. I think this run that this groups been on is amazing and should really be appreciated, obviously by them but also by Canadians and fans. ... I dont see anybody there thats worried about themselves.Theyre there for one reason, to help the team, and I think it really shows. ' ' '