Allgemeines » of the NHLs second-highest scoring team in Chicago

ASHBURN, Va. - Jay Gruden said he shouldnt have been so brutally candid about Robert Griffin IIIs play. The Washington Redskins coach also took the blame for allowing the Washington Redskins to become too much about one guy.Griffin also stuck to the team script, repeatedly stressing that hes focused on San Francisco and saying little else during his weekly news conference.The Redskins needed a course correction after several days in which their quarterback was under siege on multiple fronts. Gruden and Griffin tried to settle things down a bit Wednesday, with the coach shifting more blame onto himself and RG3 doing his best to stay mum.Early on in the season when I first got the job, I knew there was going to be a lot of questions about Robert, Gruden said. But I want to try to make this thing about the Redskins and not about him, and somehow weve made it more about him than about the team. And thats my fault.Gruden said specifically that he went too far earlier this week when he detailed Griffins many fundamental flaws — including poor footwork and bad reads — in a 27-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.I think it was a mistake on my part, Gruden said. After a loss like that, were very disappointed in the way we played, and the question came up. ... I just answered it, the first thing that came to my mind, and sometimes the first thing that comes to your mind isnt the smartest thing, and it wasnt the right thing to do on my part.Corrections should be in-house with everybody involved. The play speaks for itself, the production on the field spoke for itself. I didnt have to really elaborate on any individual fundamental things.Gruden also wanted it made clear that the Redskins lost in part because he was outcoached by Tampa Bays Lovie Smith.Lovie had their team ready to play more than I had my team ready to play, Gruden said. And that was a direct reflection on me.Griffin, meanwhile, turned in a podium performance that would make Bill Belichick proud as the Redskins (3-7) began practice for Sundays visit to the San Francisco 49rs. As the New England Patriots coach is known to do, Griffin gave short, non-answers and used the exact phrase focused on San Francisco nine times.Jay wants me to play better. I want to play better, Griffin said. Were focused on San Francisco and making that happen, so thats all Ive got to say about that.Griffin was stung earlier this week by the implication that he had been overly critical of his teammates in his postgame remarks after the Buccaneers loss. In reality, Griffin spent much of that postgame news conference taking the blame for his six sacks and other aspects of his play, but he did add that great quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning dont play well if their guys dont play well.On Monday, Gruden piled on a bit, saying that: Robert needs to understand he needs to worry about himself, No. 1, and not everybody else. That was also when the coach gave the searing review of Griffins play.Griffin responded that same day on social media that its unfortunate that anyone would take a piece of my press conference and say I threw my teammates under the bus.Griffin didnt elaborate much on Wednesday. He did say that he had addressed the team, and that a large majority of the locker room has reached out to him in the last few days.On getting better as a quarterback, he said: Im in my second offence in this league. You know, just trying to hammer everything down and get better at my craft like Coach wants me to.Griffin said several times that he was doing what Gruden wants him to do, but he said his scaled-back appearance at the microphone podium wasnt specifically the result of coachs orders.No, he just wanted me to focus on me, Griffin said. And Im going to do that to the best of my ability. Im a quarterback, man. Ive got to help this team win.Griffins clashes with coach Mike Shanahan overshadowed last years 3-13 season. Asked to describe his relationship with Gruden, Griffin gave another short answer: Great.Gruden, for his part, said Griffin is at a stage right now in his career where we need to see improvements, but he also stressed that too much can be expected of the third-year player.We have such high expectations for these kids coming out of college that they should be at the same level as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers, Gruden said. Its not fair. Theyre going to have some growing pains.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and HYPERLINK http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP Mike Trout Jersey . "Im excited just for a new start, just to see where things are going, to bring some kind of tradition back to the team and guys being excited about something new," the defensive back said during a conference call Monday after agreeing to stay with the Bombers rather than go to free agency next month. Garrett Richards Jersey . UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport. http://www.angelsteamshop.com/Angels-Blake-Wood-Kids-Jersey/ . A judge had summoned Clemens and Brian McNamee to federal court in Brooklyn for settlement talks aimed at heading off a trial in the defamation case. McNamees lawyer emerged saying an agreement wasnt likely. "I think this is a case where the lines are deeply drawn in the sand," said attorney Richard Emery. Custom Los Angeles Angels Jerseys . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. Los Angeles Angels Jerseys .com) - Damian Lillard poured in 40 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go along with 11 assists, and the Portland Trail Blazers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder, 115-111, in overtime on Tuesday.CHICAGO -- On Friday night, the Los Angeles Kings were in Anaheim for Game 7 of their second-round series against the top-seeded Ducks. On Saturday, they travelled 1,700 miles to Chicago on the eve of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Not much rest for Los Angeles, but certainly better than the alternative. Watch Game 1 on TSN and TSN GO, today at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Kings will take on the Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon in a short turnaround from their series-clinching 6-2 victory over Anaheim. It is a rematch of last years Western Conference finals, when the Blackhawks won in five games on the way to their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons. "Im not sure about the energy part of it," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said Saturday, "but I know how we handle losses and how we handle wins and how we handle travel, so you know theyre going to be honest in their preparation. You can trust that part of it. "Itll be certainly about putting forth their best effort, I know that." Los Angeles is making its third consecutive appearance in the Western Conference finals after the Kings rallied past San Jose and Anaheim in the first two series. The Sharks had a 3-0 lead in the first round, and the Ducks led 3-2 in their series against the Kings. Chicago has been waiting for its next opponent since it beat Minnesota 2-1 in overtime in Game 6 on Tuesday night. The Blackhawks had a similar break after they eliminated St. Louis in the first round. "I think the days off helps every team this time of year, get some rest, allows you to prepare for your opponent," Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "At the end of the day, once that puck drops, I think both teams are going to be ready to play." The break also provided more time for Chicago forward Andrew Shaw to get healthy. The tenacious centre missed the final five games of the Wild seriies with an apparent right leg injury, but he skated before the Blackhawks practiced on Saturday and could return after Game 1 against the Kings.dddddddddddd Los Angeles is hoping for the return of injured defencemen Robyn Regehr and Willie Mitchell. Mitchell has missed eight games, but is skating again. Sutter said he could return against Chicago. "You have a muscle injury that was related to a knee injury," Sutter said after practice at the teams facility in El Segundo, California. "Cant (be) one of those deals where you get a guy for five minutes. You need to know that you get him for the whole game." The status of Shaw, Regehr and Mitchell could be a factor in a matchup of the NHLs second-highest scoring team in Chicago and the stingiest team in the league in Los Angeles. "Theyre obviously defending champs, and we want to take that back," Kings forward Jarret Stoll said. "We know what it takes to win and weve tasted that and it tastes pretty good. So we want to get it back from them." Los Angeles was the defending champion when it took on Chicago in the playoffs last year. But the banged-up Kings were unable to keep up with the high-flying Blackhawks, who got a hat trick from Patrick Kane in the clinching double-overtime victory in Game 5. Chicago is 9-2 against Los Angeles over the past two years, outscoring the Kings 35-24. "Theyre playing really well right now so weve got to be focused on what theyve been doing the last couple series," Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook said. "Theyre never out of a game or a series. If we get up, we have to step on their throats. If were down, we have to work like hell to get back. "But at the end of the day we have to play our game and focus on what weve been doing well throughout the playoffs, get better at that and be the team that we can be." ' ' '