ong ways toward proving the "naysayers" wrong while helping the Leafs

FLORHAM PARK, N. Fake Vapormax For Sale .J. -- The New York Jets open quarterback competition might already be case closed. At least, thats what Michael Vick thinks. As far as hes concerned, its very clearly Geno Smiths job to lose. "Im wishing the best for Geno," Vick said Thursday during the teams first open media session this off-season. "Im going to help him each and every day. Im going to help him get better. My thing is, when its my time to go out there and play, Ive got to be ready when my numbers called. And nothing can come in between that." Vick, who signed with New York in March, acknowledged this situation is different from last off-season with Philadelphia when he headed into workouts competing with Nick Foles for the starting job. "We knew, both of us coming in, that it was open competition, and the best guy was going to win the job," he said. "Whoever performed well throughout OTAs and preseason, thats just what it was. It was pretty much cut and dried. This situation ... its kind of unique. "But even though its not an open competition, were both competing every day and we both have to perform well each and every day." Coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik have said that Vicks presence is expected to help Smith with his development from his shaky rookie season. Idzik preaches competition at every position, although Ryan has said Smith will be tough to beat out. "Its not been made public that its an open competition," Vick said. "Chip Kelly made it known that it was an open competition (in Philadelphia). But were still not going to change our approach. This is the NFL. Youve got to perform. Youve got to be at your best each and every day." Vick still believes he can be a starter in the NFL, and was playing well in Kellys up-tempo offence before a hamstring injury sidelined him. Foles took over and started the rest of the season. Vick was forced into a mentors role, and he drew praise from Kelly and the Eagles for how he handled the situation. He could find himself in the same situation this season. "Its still tough right now, Ill admit," Vick said. "I wont lie. Because deep down, you always want to be a starter. You always feel like youre starting. Thats just the competitive nature in me. And hopefully, that opportunity will come again one day and Ive just got to keep working for it." Despite all that, both Vick and Smith will be closely watched from now through training camp. If the two perform at about the same level, Vick is fairly certain of the outcome. "Yeah, I would assume Geno would be the starter," he said. "Genos making great strides." Smith isnt taking anything for granted, even if Vick already sees him as No. 1. The second-year quarterback knows hes got a long way to go after a season in which he threw 12 touchdown passes and was intercepted 21 times. He finished with a flourish, though, helping the Jets win three of their last four games and going without a turnover in the final two. "Mentally, I wont change," Smith said. "Ill compete as if Im the last guy on the depth chart trying to make this team. I think thats what makes me better and thats the way I work, and Ive always done that. The biggest difference is my familiarity with the offence, knowing my protections, not trying to come in and learn everything on the go. "Having 16 games under my belt is really going to pay off for me." Smith entered last spring in a competition with Mark Sanchez, but was thrust into the starting job when Sanchez was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury in the preseason. It was on-the-job training for Smith, who flashed at times but often looked very much like an inexperienced rookie. He enters this years competition as the incumbent, which often means that player starts with the lead -- something Smith refuses to consider. "I dont put my mind in that position," he said. "I try to work as if Im the underdog. Whether Im named the starter or not, thats the way that I work. Like I said, thats something that helps me, having that constant edge, having that chip on my shoulder, just working extremely hard every single day to get better." Nike Air Vapormax Plus Black+White . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68). Cheap Vapormax 97 .C. Now hes squarely in the U.S. capital and helping the Washington Wizards playoff drive. John Wall scored 33 points, Gooden got 11 of his 21 in the final quarter and the Wizards overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 101-94 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2-clearance.html . Here are some of the best from Week One and some to watch in Week Two: TOP PERFORMERS Anthony Allen, RB, Saskatchewan (176 YDS, 2 TD, 30 touches vs. Hamilton) - Powerfully-built back burst onto the scene in his CFL debut, after a couple of years in the NFL, playing 21 games with the Baltimore Ravens.TORONTO – In each of the past two offseasons Cody Franson and the Maple Leafs disagreed on the worth of the now 26-year-old defender. Contract disputes lingered for days, weeks and months in the winter of 2012 and once more in summer of 2013 before the two sides finally compromised on an unhappy middle with a pair of one-year contracts. Franson, not surprisingly, feels he has something to prove in his third season in Toronto. "Definitely," he said in conversation with the Leaf Report on Tuesday afternoon. "Thats the way my dad raised me was live by proving people wrong, have that motivation and drive to make people that say youre not eat their words." Franson believed that hed established himself as a viable top-4 defender last season, when he broke out with 29 points in 45 games, but Dave Nonis and the Leafs management group wanted to see more. They werent sure what the Sicamous, B.C. native was (the half-season sample size undoubtedly a factor) and balked at committing the sizeable term and dollars he desired in free agency (hence the one-year deal worth $2 million). Soon to be a restricted agent once more in the summer of 2014, Franson is out to prove that hes worthy of such an investment. Entrenched with the significant role and responsibility he always wanted upon landing with the Leafs via trade from Nashville, Franson is only half-satisfied with the season hes had to date. "Its going okay, but I can do more," said Franson, who will assume top pairing duty in the absence of suspended captain Dion Phaneuf. "I feel like I can do more. I feel I can help produce more. I can be a bigger part in our group turning things around." The Leafs have stumbled into December, struggling to generate offence and adequately defend amid a stretch which has seen them win just twice in regulation in 17 games. Now without their captain and leading minute-eater for the next two games – against top teams from Los Angeles and St. Louis no less – theyll need others, Franson most prominently, to step up their game. "The challenges are bountiful as we go forward into the season," said Randy Carlyle of a year thats seen an increasing number of injuries and suspensions, "but somebody else now gets an opportunity to fill those minutes." Be it offensively or defensively, Franson feels his game could stand to rise on a number of different fronts. The scoring leader of the Toronto defence once again this season – he has 14 points – Franson is nonetheless concerned by his inability to find the back of the net. He had four goals on 70 shots in 2013, but has yet score on any of the 40 attempts hes fired so far this year. Directing more pucks on net, thus creating not only goals but rebound opportunities for teammates, will aid in the teams struggling offensive attack – the Leafs have just 23 even-strength goals during this lasting 17-game run. "Obviously not having scored a goal is in my head," he said, noting a desire to increase hiss overall offensive production. Nike Air VaporMax Plus Black Gold. "Its been a tough year to try and get shots through to the net and really help our forwards in that sense. Thats bothering me a bit." Amongst the best at his position in producing offence at even-strength last season – he had 16 points, tied for 12th most among NHL defenders – Franson has just three such points this season, the majority of his production coming on one of the leagues top power-plays. Because the Leafs have struggled to move the puck effectively for the better part of the opening two-plus months theyve been ineffective with a forecheck from which theyd like to initiate offence. One of their better puck-movers, Franson can help in that regard with some measure of improvement. "I havent got enough of those this year," said Franson of even-strength points, 11 of his 14 assists coming with the man advantage. "Thats something Ive been trying to focus on in getting better at and try to help our team win." Already second in ice-time among Leaf defenders – 21 minutes per game –Franson is poised to peg, if not more minutes, than more difficult minutes with Phaneuf suspended for tough tests against the Kings and Blues. He was paired with Carl Gunnarsson on the top pairing of Tuesdays practice. Though hes made strides in the right direction in Toronto, Franson remains a work in progress in the defensive zone. Part of that growth lies in his assertiveness and physicality. The 6-foot-5 defender has always been prodded to employ the requisite physical game his size is said to demand. Under the direction of Carlyle he has improved considerably. Franson actually leads all NHL defenders with 98 hits (entering Tuesdays action), quite a shift for a player who had 55 in his first 61 NHL games with Nashville. "Ive gotten better," said Franson, "but theres always room for improvement. Ive watched the video clips of myself after a lot of games and I see spots where I know I couldve at least bumped a guy there or a guy takes a shot and I was more worried about the rebound than finishing [him] into the wall. Just some things that I need to get back into the habit of doing and itll help me." Habit has also been forced to change with a steady mix of defensive partners. Unlike last season, when he played with Mark Fraser almost exclusively, Franson has shifted from partner to partner amid the teams struggles on the back-end. Gunnarsson will be the fifth partner hes been paired with already this season. The adjustment is as subtle as thinking versus reacting instinctually. "[I]t makes you think a little more and sometimes Im thinking too much and its making me read things a little slower than I should be and in turn making me not quite as aggressive as Id like to be," said Franson. "Ive got to get that down a little quicker and itll help." Such improvements will go a long ways toward proving the "naysayers" wrong while helping the Leafs turn a much-needed corner. ' ' '