NEW YORK -- Jeremy Lin will be urged to become a better leader. Brook Lopez will be challenged to rebound and defend better.Kenny Atkinson believes in being direct and honest with his players, but theres one thing the new Brooklyn Nets coach wont discuss with them.After all, the players already know some people dont think very much of them.I think those guys are aware of it, so as a coach I dont think I need to be putting stuff up in the locker room and motivating them that way, Atkinson said Tuesday.Expectations are low for the Nets, who open training camp next Tuesday. While they could be better than last seasons 21-61 record, they also could be the worst team in the Eastern Conference, now that the Philadelphia 76ers will be interested in trying to win.Odds makers, media members and even some of their own fans dont expect much from the Nets, and some players already have made clear they wont be as bad as critics say.I dont think we look at is as bulletin board material, general manager Sean Marks said. I mean, youve read probably a couple of pieces that some of our guys have said that they dont agree with those odds and thats great. Thats exactly what we want ... thats the competitor in them.Marks, a former assistant general manager with San Antonio, begins his first full season after he was hired last February. He hired Atkinson from Atlanta, where he helped the Hawks reach the second round of the playoffs as an assistant to Mike Budenholzer.They made a number of additions over the summer, but not the splashy types the Nets favored during their first few years in Brooklyn, when they were trying to win new fans while also winning games. That led to trades for players such as Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Joe Johnson, and they reached the postseason in their first three seasons after moving from New Jersey.But the mindset has changed now, with the bold predictions of Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov giving way to tempered talk from Marks, a New Zealand native. Prokhorov wanted to win fast -- time expired on his goal of winning a championship within five years of buying the team -- but now is backing a plan to build slowly.Well, it depends on what your definition of slow is, Marks said. Our owners know exactly what the expectations are, so theyre 100 percent on board. Theyve been on board all summer long.Lopez is the teams best player and the Nets hope Lin, back in the city where he was briefly a star with the Knicks in 2012, can build on a strong season as the backup to Kemba Walker in Charlotte. Atkinson was an assistant under Mike DAntoni in New York during the Linsanity days and believes Lin is ready to handle the responsibilities of running this team.Its a heck of a challenge for him, but I think hes prepared for it, Atkinson said. I think its the right time in his career.The Nets were encouraged by the play this summer of guard Bojan Bogdanovic, who was Croatias leading scorer as it qualified for the Olympics, then surprisingly reached the quarterfinals. And they have high hopes for youngsters such as Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough, Sean Kilpatrick and rookie Caris LeVert, even though none of them have played a full NBA season yet.Thats why Marks said success for the Nets wont be measured only in wins and losses, but by how those players improve during the season.This is not going to be something thats going to turn around in two, three months, he said. As weve said before, we want something thats done strategically and systematically that builds a strong foundation and not something thats a fleeting moment.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney Seahawks Youth Jerseys . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Rashaad Penny Jersey . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. http://www.authenticseahawksshopnfl.com/rasheem-green-jersey/ . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Seahawks Stitched Jerseys . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Seahawks Jerseys Store . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers were at the pinnacle of their game the last time they faced the Arizona Cardinals in January.Newton threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Panthers walloped the Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC championship to advance to the franchises second Super Bowl. But things have gone downhill since for Carolina (1-5), which enters Sundays rematch against Arizona (3-3-1) in dire need of a victory and looking to snap a four-game losing streak.We dont need no messages. We out of messages. We out of things that need to be said. We out of big, rah-rah speeches and everybody saying believe, Newton said. Man, listen, we gotta win. Thats it.Carolinas offense, which led the league in scoring last season, showed signs of life in a 41-38 loss to the Saints before the bye week in Newtons first game back from a concussion. But the Panthers will face a defense that has been outstanding in recent weeks, limiting the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks to a combined nine points in the last nine quarters.Arians said Arizonas biggest problem in the NFC championship game is it got behind early and began to press under pressure -- something the Cardinals cant afford to do on Sunday.The big thing is you cant let them get a big lead or any kind of lead because theyre really good when they have a lead, Arians said.Here are some things to watch in the Cardinals-Panthers game:NEWTON RUNNING: Newton only ran twice against the Saints in his first game back from a concussion, but said this week he wont let the head injury affect how he approaches the game moving forward.The Cardinals expect a full dose of Newton.Having that freak of nature running down between the hashes and down the sidelines, thats not supposed to happen, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson said. It would definitely be a blessing to not prepare for Cam Newton as a runner, but we know thats not reality. That is his game. You can tell that gets him into the game. That gets him fired up.JONES IMPACT: Arians called his defenses performance against Seattle the best hes seen since he took over as Cardinals coach in 2013.A big reason for Arizonas improved play is the addition of Chandler Jones, who had a strip sack of Russell Wilson. He draws so much attention that young Markus Golden has had chances to make big plays, too. Golden leads the team with six sacks; Jones has five.He can do some things that we werent able tto do in the past, Peterson said of Jones.dddddddddddd (We can) play a little bit more coverage and let him and Markus get after the quarterback, which they have been doing such a phenomenal job for us throughout the season.RUNNING WILD: The Cardinals have undergone something of a personality change. They havent been able to connect for big passing plays, and have become more reliant on running back David Johnson.The versatile third-round pick out of Northern Iowa leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,004. He had 113 yards rushing and 58 receiving against Seattle and came within inches of scoring the winning TD in overtime. He has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in all seven games this season.The biggest thing for young guys is opportunity, Arians said of Johnson. He got opportunities last year through injuries and made the best of them. Hes continued to progress this year.CAROLINAS SECONDARY: Carolinas secondary could be just what Carson Palmer needs to get on track. Carolina has allowed 13 touchdowns through the air and eight passing plays of 40 yards or more.Carolina will get cornerbacks James Bradberry and Robert McClain back from injuries , but the Panthers were struggling on defense even before they got hurt. Coach Ron Rivera said if everything stays the same Worley and McClain would start against the Cardinals.You didnt see the deep balls completed on them last year and its happened on the tapes this year, Arians said. Young guys get hit with double moves, and veterans too, but young guys are pressing so hard that communication can get a little screwed up.KICKING WOES: Both teams have kickers in need of a confidence boost.Chandler Catanzaro missed a chip shot field goal in overtime that would have given Arizona a victory Sunday night against the Seahawks. Likewise, Carolinas Graham Gano has been off his game. He has missed two key field goals this season, including a 50-yarder against the Broncos in Week 1 at the end of regulation that would have helped the Panthers extract revenge for their Super Bowl loss last season. He also missed an extra point that would have tied the game against the Saints in the fourth quarter on Oct. 16.---AP Sports Writer Bob Baum in Tempe, Arizona contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale China NFL Jerseys White ' ' '