News » r go 0-for-30 with no yards and get the W, he said.SAY

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Britain may rule the waves on Rios choppy rowing course, but the nations dominance of yet another Olympic regatta has been built on tales of sacrifice and the power of mental strength over physical pain. Cheap Custom Braves Jersey .Following Fridays pair of golds, Great Britain would claim another brace of medals in the space of half an hour on the final day of racing at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.First the womens eight won silver -- their first ever medal in that class -- before their male counterparts led from start to finish to win their first gold since 2000. It was a ruthless display of British power with those two medals sitting alongside the other three GB have won on these Brazilian waves.For four of the womens eight, plus cox Zoe de Toledo, it was their first Olympics. At the other end of the experience scale was Frances Houghton, appearing in her fifth Games. She will be the self-appointed steward for celebrations Saturday night, and her medal -- which sits alongside silvers in 2004 and 2008 -- capped a remarkable sporting journey.Ive got so many memories I am really proud of, Houghton said. This time I am so proud of my crew. Im really proud of what we put together as nine girls.Im so proud of all the girls since 1997. Our first medal in the world championships in the eight was 1997 and so many girls have put into what you saw today. I am really proud. I am so lucky and privileged to have this experience in a sport I love.Standing in the crowd and willing her on were her mother and fiancee, carrying the flag her late father Robin took to Frances races.With my dad passing away during the racing season in May, it was really hard, Houghton said. But it was also something that gave me great strength. He really helped me get through the hard times in rowing. And we were really under pressure, and there were lots of trials going on at the time.But it made me know for sure that I wanted to be rowing. I could have walked away from it and said, No, this is more important. But he really wanted me to be rowing.He passed away maybe six days before I was selected for the fifth Games. I think he knew that I had done enough. The girls have just been incredible. When I was rowing, it was just all about rowing and I was so lucky to have the rowing to get me through that, and my dad to get me through the rowing.As the women went about their post-race media duties, some cried, some let out their emotion through screams and shouts of celebrations, and all embraced. Then the mens eight stormed to victory behind them on the Lagoa.Cue an immediate return to scenes of British pride and celebration, rivaling the patriotic outpourings of the Last Night of the Proms.But there was no pomp and circumstance about the way the men executed their race. They ignored the opposition and focused on the job in hand, their collective thousand-mile stare married with the agonizing pain engulfing their bodies.Afterwards the rowers struggled to relay their emotions. It was too fresh, but there was a clarity behind their message: This was an effort built on sacrifice, focus and teamwork.The fact that weve done it three years on the trot in the world championships meant we were there to be shot down, Will Satch said. And having the confidence to go out there and do it over and over again -- we havent had the best year, but that was the strongest eight we could have put out.Its awesome, heroic.Rio was Pete Reeds third Olympic gold, following on from triumphs in the coxswainless four at 2008 and 2012. He was reluctant to compare one to another -- unsure whether he will continue to Tokyo 2020 -- but as he weighed up the sacrifices made, it felt like a stream of consciousness as his achievement sunk in.Ive been sacrificing things for a very long time, he said Ive sacrificed my career in the navy, Ive sacrificed relationships, time with family, my dogs and seeing my friends. Im so sorry to my friends for not seeing them enough and Im so sorry to my family to for not seeing them enough. But you ask yourself -- is it worth it?Thats what I had to go through in the middle of this Olympiad. I won in London ... What did I have to prove? Who did I have to prove it to? But you go through these tough times and with the help of [coach] Jurgen [Grobler], Hodgey [Andrew Triggs Hodge] and the crews support.But above all the personal stories, incredible tales of bravery, sacrifice and determination, there was a clear message to the watching public. Britains incredible power in the rowing, despite some disappointments on the water earlier in the week, is still there.And the general hope is that others will have seen this and will want to become the next Grainger, Thornley, Stanning, Glover, Sbihi, Louloudis, Gregory, Nash, Greves, Wilson, Houghton, Swann, Eddie, Carnegie-Brown, Bennett, Lee, De Toledo, Bennett, Durant, Gotrel, Triggs Hodge, Langridge, Ransley, Reed, Satch and Hill.Its times like these that you just think you could do this forever, Reed said. This is the greatest sport, its the greatest feeling. Even the sacrifices are worth it. When you think its too much, when you think you cant do anymore.Those youngsters out there today watching Hodgey, watching me, watching Katherine two days ago, Helen and Heather, and whoever they look up to in the British team -- they will be going through as well.[Theyll think] Blisters hurt, I cant do this for studying, I cant do this because of a job --but just find your inner strength, find time to balance everything because its the greatest sport in the world. Custom Braves Jerseys . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Custom Braves T-shirts . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. http://www.custombravesjersey.com/custom...-large-77z.html . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. CLEMSON, S.C. -- James Conners smile said it all -- Pittsburgh was happy to once again shuffle up the national championship picture.Hey, sorry to do that. But we wanted this one bad, said Conner, who had two touchdowns and ran for 132 yards in the Panthers 43-42 stunner over No. 2 Clemson on Saturday.Conners 20-yard TD run with 5:17 left inched the Panthers into striking range and Chris Blewitt -- after a kiss on the cheek from coach Pat Narduzzi -- struck a perfect, 48-yard field goal with six seconds left for the winning points.Well remember this one forever, Conner said.So, too, will Clemson (9-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 3 AP) which saw its run at perfection halted after escaping so many other jams this season. A fourth-down stop a yard shy saved the Tigers 42-36 win over Louisville on Oct. 1. North Carolina States missed field goal at the end of regulation boosted Clemson to a 24-17 overtime win.This time, it was the Panthers (6-4, 3-3) who made the critical plays.When Clemson was driving for a touchdown already up 42-34, linebacker Saleem Brightwell picked off quarterback Deshaun Watson -- his third interception -- and returned it 70 yards to set up a 20-yard TD by Conner that drew Pitt within 42-40.When Clemson attempted to run out the clock, the Panthers defense (despite allowing 630 yards) stuffed Wayne Gallman a yard short on third and fourth downs to take over near midfield with 58 seconds left.We had a chance to put the game away and they stopped us, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. We had been making those kinds of plays this year.Nathan Peterman moved Pitt to the Clemson 30 and Blewitt steadily knocked through.It was Pitts highest-ranked win since defeating Backyard Brawl rival, No. 2 West Virginia, 13-9 in 2007 and spoiling the Mountaineers chances at playing for the national title.Our team had a lot of guts tonight, Narduzzi said.And a whole lot of playmakers to topple the defending ACC champs.Peterman had a career-best five TD passes and 308 yards. Conner rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one of Petermans scoring throws.Blewitt, who had a kick blocked at the end of the opening half, was steely eyed and ready. Narduzzi gave his senior a kiss on the cheek and sent him out for the winning kick.As soon as I saw the kick go up, I knew it was going in, Scott Orndoff said. It was jubilation.Clemson had its offense going. Braves Jerseys China. Watson threw for an ACC record 580 yards and three touchdowns. Gallman ran for three TDs and Mike Williams had 15 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown.In the end, it was Clemsons first loss to an unranked opponent in five seasons, a span of 46 games.Come Monday, well start over because its a long season, Watson said. Get ready for Wake Forest. Hopefully, we can clinch the ACC (Atlantic) and punch our ticket for the championship game next week.THE TAKEAWAYPittsburgh: The Panthers showed that Narduzzis program is taking hold. Peterman stayed calm in the face of Clemsons strong pass rush and Conner was able to avoid the Tigers middle duo of Carlos Watkins and Dexter Lawrence to keep Pitt moving.Clemson: Many non-Tiger fans will say this team had it coming after escaping with close wins at home against No. 5 Louisville (42-36 on Oct. 1) and North Carolina State (24-17 in overtime on Oct. 15) after the Wolfpack missed the potential game-winning kick to end regulation. Clemsons path is still clear -- win out and hope its one-loss season is better than most others.POLL IMPLICATIONSExpect a rankings fall for Clemson, certainly from the top five. And theres not that much time left to make up for a loss. After Wake Forest, the Tigers face revived rival South Carolina at Death Valley before potentially heading to Orlando, Florida, for the ACC championship game.RECORD DAYWatsons passing yards broke the 21-year-old mark of Wake Forests Rusty LaRue, who passed for 545 yards against North Carolina State on Nov. 18, 1995. Watson said the record doesnt console him after the loss. Id rather go 0-for-30 with no yards and get the W, he said.SAYING GOODBYEThis wasnt the farewell Clemsons offense wanted. Watson, Gallman, Williams and receiver Artavis Scott are all juniors who were honored with Clemsons seniors Saturday after Swinney said they would all be leaving the program for the NFL after this season. Watson acknowledged wild emotions. Still, Im going to keep a smile on my face, he said.UP NEXTPittsburgh closes the year with two games at home, starting with Duke next week.Clemson will try to earn the ACC Atlantic Division title with a win at Wake Forest next Saturday.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '