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Veteran skip Kevin Koe already has one world title and two national titles on his resume. His next mission is to qualify for the Winter Olympics and hes assembling a new team to try to make it happen. Koe plans to leave the rink he guided to victory at the Tim Hortons Brier for a new lineup that will include Marc Kennedy at third, Ben Hebert at lead and Brent Laing at second. Its an experienced all-star crew that will have its eye on qualification for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. "It was not an easy decision," Koe told The Canadian Press from Calgary. "But I felt the timing was good personally for me -- just with the next Olympic cycle coming up -- to make a change." News of the change broke last month before the team departed for the world championship in China. The moves werent formally announced until the Canadian Curling Association issued a news release Tuesday. Koe and his Calgary-based team of third Pat Simmons, second Carter Rycroft and lead Nolan Thiessen settled for a disappointing fourth-place finish last weekend in Beijing. Theyll play their last event together as a foursome at the April 15-20 Grand Slam Players Championship in Summerside, P.E.I. Koe discussed his plans with his teammates last month after they won the Brier in Kamloops, B.C. He admitted it was a "difficult conversation," but doesnt think it affected their play overseas. "I think the guys would say the same thing," Koe said. "If anything, we wanted to win a world championship for each other that much more." The period right after an Olympic Games is always an interesting one on the curling scene. Not everyone is necessarily keen to make another four-year commitment for a variety of factors, including age, jobs and family commitments. Some teams are locked in and ready for the next quadrennial while other players need to move quickly to position themselves before potential vacancies are filled. Qualification events for the 2017 Canadian Curling Trials wont be far off once the new season begins so teams will want to find their rhythm as soon as possible. "I think its more a function of just the way curling has gone," Koe said. "Most years curling changes happen now after an Olympic year. Thats just the nature of the beast I guess. Teams get together to make that big run. "It was no disrespect to the guys. I dont think teams can stay together forever. Our team wasnt going to be staying together with Carter slowing down. So those are just some of the reasons that went into my decision." Rycroft, whose wife is pregnant, had originally planned to take time next season off. However, Thiessen said that plan would be modified so they can enter the 2014 Canada Cup, the 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup and be the first Team Canada in the history of the Brier. Simmons, Rycroft and Thiessen will name their new skip at a later date. "Teams just kind of run their course," Thiessen said from Edmonton. "We probably -- even though we won the Brier this year -- we were starting to get towards the line of maybe running its course. Kevin had a great opportunity. Thats a great team that hes setting up. "Everyones got to do whats best for them and thats what he did. He went and (will) play with those guys and I mean, who wouldnt? Its three great players that he went to play with." Koe won his other national title and lone world title in 2010 with Rycroft, Thiessen and Blake MacDonald. Simmons later replaced MacDonald but the core of the team spent eight years together. The team members said they will remain good friends, adding next weeks competition will be emotional for all involved. Kennedy and Hebert won Olympic gold at the 2010 Games in Vancouver with skip Kevin Martin, who supported the lineup change. Martin has said he plans to decide on his curling future by the end of June. Laing won world titles with veteran Ontario skip Glenn Howard in 2007 and 2012. "At the end of day with everything else considered, it was just too great of an opportunity to turn down for me," Laing said from Barrie, Ont. Howard wasnt available for comment. Hes expected to name Laings replacement in the coming weeks. Custom Basketball Jerseys . "Opinion: Womens World Cup is the best Soccer of the year," Hanks tweeted to his 8.73 million followers on Friday. "Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Replica Basketball Jerseys .Boston beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Tuesday night and celebrated consecutive wins for the first time in more than a month. https://www.fakebasketballjerseys.com/ . The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran linebacker to a three-year deal Tuesday, hours after the start of CFL free agency. Fake Basketball Jerseys Authentic .Y. - Referee Ed Hochuli referred to replay official Tom Sifferman by his nickname Jungle Boy, which was heard on the in-stadium microphone during the Arizona Cardinals-Carolina Panthers NFC wild-card game Saturday. Cyber Monday Basketball Jerseys . Bradley is one of eight players selected to the team who also played in this years World Cup in Brazil. The MLS all-stars will compete against German giants Bayern Munich in Portland on Aug. PITTSBURGH -- Josh Harrison got the game-winning hit and yet all anyone wanted to ask him about was how he wriggled out of that wild rundown an inning earlier. Harrisons double with two outs in the 11th gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night. "The rundown was fun, but the hit was more exciting because it meant the game was over and we won," Harrison said. Jordy Mercer hit a two-run single for the Pirates (41-39), who moved two games above .500 for the first time since April 10. They have won the first two games of the four-game series. Pinch-hitter Clint Barmes drew a one-out walk from former Pittsburgh reliever Vic Black (1-2) in the 11th. Mercer struck out before Harrison hit a drive to the 375-foot sign in right-centre, scoring Barmes without a throw. Harrison entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh and squirmed his way out of a long rundown in the 10th. The play drew an argument from Mets manager Terry Collins, who thought Harrison should have been ruled out for running outside the baseline. Harrison twice avoided a tag by hitting the ground and popping back up. "Like I learned in middle school -- stop, drop and roll," he said. Harrison eventually scrambled into third, putting two Pirates runners in scoring position with none out. Jenrry Mejia pitched out of the jam by getting two strikeouts and a fly to right. Black, acquired from the Pirates late last season in a trade, wasnt as fortunate in the 11th. Harrison and teammate Russell Martin each had two hits. Jared Hughes (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Lucas Duda hit a two-run single and rookie Travis dArnaud had three hits for the Mets, who played without seven-time All-Star David Wright. The third baseman was scratched about 90 minutes beefore the first pitch with a sore left shoulder and will return to New York on Saturday for an MRI.dddddddddddd Wright, riding a 10-game hitting streak, said the shoulder has been nagging him for a couple of weeks. "Any loss is going to be tough," said Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, who had two hits. "Mejia did a great job right there that inning. Its a loss. Losses are tough. I dont know any other way to describe it." Neither rookie starter figured in the decision but both pitched well. New Yorks Jacob deGrom gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. Pittsburghs Brandon Cumpton allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. Cumpton is 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA in five June starts after giving up 11 runs in 3 2-3 innings on May 31 in a loss at Dodger Stadium. "He continues to go out there and compete," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He keeps going out there and getting things done." NOTES: Pittsburgh traded RHP Jason Grilli to the Los Angeles Angels for RHP Ernesto Frieri. Both pitchers were removed as their teams closer on May 20. ... Pittsburgh will activate RHP Gerrit Cole (6-3, 3.64 ERA) from the disabled list Saturday to start against LHP Jonathon Niese (4-4, 2.78). Cole has been sidelined since June 4 with right shoulder fatigue. ... Pirates LF Starling Marte did not start for a third straight game because of a jammed right middle finger, but he pinch-ran in the seventh inning and will likely start Saturday. ... Mets OF Chris Young went 0 for 5 in an increasingly rare start against a right-handed pitcher, playing left field in place of Eric Young Jr. Collins wanted to get Young in the lineup after he hit three home runs in two games against Oakland this week. ... Pittsburgh is 5-4 in extra innings. New York is 5-7. ' ' '
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