PARIS - Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol has apologized for making disparaging comments about African players in football, although he still maintains they were misinterpreted against a backlash of widespread criticism. Nike React Element 55 Dames Sale .Sagnol, capped 58 times by France and a member of the team which lost the 2006 World Cup final, gave a question and answer session Tuesday to readers of Sud Ouest regional newspaper when the subject of African players was raised.The advantage of what I would call the typical African player is that he isnt expensive when you sign him, (he is) a player who is ready for combat, but football isnt just about that, Sagnol said.Explaining himself, he continued: Football is also (about) technique, intelligence. You need a bit of everything. You need Nordics too, Nordics are good.Speaking Thursday at a pre-match news conference ahead of Saturdays game with Lens, Sagnol tried to explain his comments.If by my lack of clarity, or my imperfect semantics, I may have shocked, humiliated or hurt people then I am sorry, Sagnol said. The interpretation that these people may have made does not reflect my way of thinking in any way or my humanist convictions.However, he said the comments made sense in a sporting context.When I spoke about the African (player) who is cheaper and ready for combat, I simply meant to talk about the young African player arriving in Europe with all of his will to win and often to escape from a precarious situation, Sagnol continued as he read from pre-prepared notes. Then, since we were in a debate about football, the intelligence I spoke of was obviously related to tactical intelligence. The forming of young players in Africa, probably because of a lack of financial means, or (lack) of infrastructure, isnt always as complete as whats available in Europe.Sagnol distanced himself from accusations that his viewpoint was offensive.In no way did I mean to talk about an individuals intelligence in the proper sense of the term. Regarding certain accusations of racism, Im 37 (and) Ive spent 32 of them in a football dressing room. Ive never had a problem with anyone, the former Bayern Munich player said.But Lens coach Antoine Kombouare, who was born in New Caledonia, is among those who felt offended by Sagnol.Lets make things clear: this is not a case of him being clumsy. Hes really messed up, Kombouare said. What he said is serious. Its unacceptable. Explaining that an African player is cheaper ... I felt humiliated and hurt.The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) strongly condemned Sagnol, as did former Marseille president Pape Diouf, who called for African players to boycott one round of French league games in protest.French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet, who formerly employed Sagnol as coach of Frances Under-21 side, defended him, while former teammate Lilian Thuram — an active anti-racism campaigner — was more measured.I played alongside Willy, hes somebody I respect. I know him very well, Thuram told Sud Ouest. I dont think you should put Willy Sagnol on trial, but you should put prejudice on trial. Each one of us harbours some prejudice, which is why people working in football, who have a certain exposure to the media, should be educated on this subject.Sagnols captain at Bordeaux is Senegal international Lamine Sane, who called Sagnols comments clumsy before defending him, as did club president Jean-Louis Triaud.He doesnt have any twisted ideas. He believes in all the black players in the team, Sane told French radio. We believe in him and we hope to go very far with him.Bordeaux forward Henri Saivet, who is black, told RMC radio that Sagnol apologized.We all now pertinently well that the coach is not a racist, Saivet said. Its true that, at first, we asked ourselves a few questions. But he explained how it happened. He apologized to the players. That was very important. Nike React Element 55 Heren Sale .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players. Nike Air Vapormax Flyknit 2 Heren . Neither side would publicly confirm or deny any discussions were taking place, until the near unexpected happened. On Saturday night sources confirmed to TSN, the league and players agreed to terms on a new, tentative CBA, pending ratification by the unions players. A league source confirmed the CFLs board of governors must also ratify any potential agreement. http://www.vapormaxsalenederland.com/nike-just-do-it-schoenen-kopen/wit.html . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes.PHOENIX - Richard Sherman has contingency plans in place should his girlfriend give birth to their first child — a son — before Sundays Super Bowl against New England.Sherman doesnt seem worried about the potential arrival of his son interfering with his chances at winning a second straight Super Bowl title. Hes expecting his son to be co-operative from birth.Hes not supposed to come on Sunday. Obviously that would change some things. But I think hes going to be a disciplined young man and stay in there until after the game. Hes going to do his father his first favour and stay in there for another week or two, Sherman said on Thursday.But Ive thought about the possibility of him coming during the game and coming before the game and we have things in place in case that happens and well cross that bridge when we get there. But I did not know it was a topic of national debate, honestly. I would not like to miss the birth of my first son, my first kid. Thankfully, hopefully and God willing we wont have to cross that bridge.Sherman revealed the pending birth of his son earlier this week in a first-person article for The MMQB.Sherman also had no reservations about the idea of his son playing football in the future.Football teaches you discipline and helps you develop a sense of leadership and courage and camaraderie among your friends and teammates, Sherman said. It also shows you how to work with the group, how to depend on one another, how to trust someone to do their job and how to be dependable, to doo your job. Nike Vapormax Kopen. . There are a lot of aspects of football that people dont talk about, and these are the things you learn and they are essential throughout your life.WORTHY CAUSE: Cancer Treatment Centers of America and the NFL Alumni Association announced a partnership to raise awareness among NFL Alumni and fans around the country about screening, diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer.The partnership also calls for CTCA to treat NFL Alumni who are fighting the disease at each of its five hospitals (in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa). CTCA will also become a sponsor of the NFLAs Super Bowl of Golf, an annual member event that is part of the NFLAs charitable fundraising activities.Other than non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. Nearly one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that 233,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2014. More than 29,000 men succumbed to the disease that year.BRIGHT LIGHTS IN THE BIG APPLE: The Empire State Building will track the Super Bowl on its tower lights with a virtual scoreboard on Sunday. The lights, which will shine in the colours of the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, will change depending on the score of the game, ultimately shining in the colours of the winning team for the rest of the evening.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '