Gushue. "You know, if anybody was going t

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WASHINGTON -- Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday that the pro football teams nickname is "respectful" toward Native Americans. On Thursday, half the U.S. Senate urged National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to change the Washington clubs name, saying it is a racist slur and it is time to replace it. The franchise responded by releasing Allens letter. "Our use of Redskins as the name of our football team for more than 80 years has always been respectful of and shown reverence toward the proud legacy and traditions of Native Americans," he wrote. The letter references research that "the term Redskins originated as a Native American expression of solidarity." It notes that the teams logo was designed by Native American leaders and cites surveys that Native Americans and Americans as a whole support the name. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has refused to change the name, citing tradition, but there has been growing pressure including statements in recent months from President Barack Obama, lawmakers of both parties and civil rights groups. Last month, Reid took to the Senate floor to say Snyder should "do what is morally right" and change the name. In a letter Thursday, 49 senators mentioned the National Basketball Associations quick action recently to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life after he was heard on an audio recording making offensive comments about blacks. They said Goodell should formally push to rename the Redskins. "We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports," read the letter, which did not use the word "Redskins." Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida wrote his own letter saying he doesnt believe that retaining the Redskin name "is appropriate in this day and age." In a written response Thursday, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said "the intent of the teams name has always been to present a strong, positive and respectful image." Reid and Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state led the letter-writing effort. All senators on the letter are Democrats. Cantwell spokesman Jared Leopold said Republicans were not asked to participate. The senators noted that tribal organizations representing more than two million Native Americans across the U.S. have said they want the Redskins name dropped. Despite federal laws protecting their identity, "Every Sunday during football season, the Washington, D.C., football team mocks their culture," they wrote. "The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur." Richie Incognito Jersey . Granada defender Diego Mainz barged into the back of Villa to send the Spain striker to the ground inside the area and Costa stepped up to the spot to score his 12th league goal in the 38th minute. Costa showed no effects of the news that his Brazilian citizenship may be revoked after he elected to play for Spains national team, as the forward was a constant threat for Atletico and forced several saves from goalkeeper Roberto. Zay Jones Jersey . Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. http://www.authenticbillsfanatic.com/c- ... ersey.aspx. While coach Doc Rivers high-fived fans and pumped his fist at the crowd, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul quietly congratulated each other. Patrick DiMarco Jersey . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Dion Dawkins Jersey . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. KITCHENER, Ont. -- Val Sweeting of Edmonton and Brier champion Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie claimed the final two spots at the Roar of the Rings Canadian Curling Trials next month in Winnipeg. Jacobs used a three-point fifth end to propel himself out of 3-2 hole against 2006 Olympic champion Brad Gushue and earn a 7-5 win at the Capital One Road to the Roar pre-trial on Sunday. On the womens side, Sweeting, holding the hammer in the 10th end, needed a draw to the four-foot ring with her final shot and was on the mark for a 6-4 win against two-time Canadian womens champion Kelly Scott of Kelowna, B.C. Scott was ready to score two, but Sweeting made the same shot she missed in the ninth end, which gave Scott a steal of one point to make it 5-4. "I knew what too heavy felt like so I obviously didnt want to throw the same thing," Sweeting said. "We have the best sweepers there and I knew just throw it close and they would judge it, and thats exactly what happened." Scott, however, seemed to have the final end set up with the way she wanted it, making Sweeting attempt a shot she had already failed. "We wanted her to shoot against a couple and probably have her draw. She hadnt drawn in a while," said Scott, who gave up five straight points to Sweeting, including three in the sixth. "But they made every tick, every peel. They didnt give us much to work with, so that was probably best case." Scott admitted that her rink of Jeanna Schraeder, Sasha Carter and Sarah Wazney didnt seem to recover from the two days off that came with having a perfect 4-0 record. She was never on the mark in Saturdays A-final against Renee Sonnenberg and couldnt build on a 2-0 lead against Sweeting after two ends. "We just didnt bring our best the last two games," she said. "(We were) just chasing a little and never really had our ends set up, and never really dictated the play out there." Sweeting, who was in a rush to catch a plane out of town, has booked her ticket to Winnipeg as probably the most unknown commodity going into the eight-team trials. "Im very excited. Were really happy that all the hard work has all paid off," Sweeting said of her team of Dana Ferguson, Joannne Courtney and Rachelle Pidherny.dddddddddddd "We played well here and were going to look at what we need to keep doing and what we can do better to succeed there." Jacobs and his squad of Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden and Ryan Harnden will join Sweeting in Winnipeg. Through an oft-questioned point system, Jacobs had to go to the pre-trials instead of getting a bye to trials. "We didnt make it directly in and we had to do this the hard way, and I think being defending Brier champions it wouldnt be right if we werent there, if you think about it," Jacobs said. His opponent agreed. "Looking back on it, Brad Jacobs deserves to be in the Olympic trials," said Gushue. "You know, if anybody was going to beat us and go there, its good that they did. As Canadian champions, they should be in the trials in my opinion. They shouldnt have had to play this game." Despite losing his 3-2 lead in the fifth end, Gushue and his crew of Brett Gallant, Adam Casey and Geoff Walker kept plugging away and kept the score close, including a steal of a point in the ninth end to make it 5-4. Thoughts of tying the game seemed to get dashed though when Caseys stone caught some debris on the ice just as he let go of it and kicked away. "Its just the luck of it," Gushue said. "He made an absolute honey of a shot on his first and if we get that second guard up and played something with their top reds earlier, we had a chance to steal two. It just sucks. In the last end to see something like that, it was unfortunate." Jacobs, though, put himself in a good position to win by playing more aggressive than he did in the A-final against John Morris. "We played a lot better today," Jacobs said. "The end that we got three, the fifth end, when E.J. made the run back and the perfect hit and roll, I thought to myself, OK, thats what we needed to get back to who we are on the ice. So we really credit E.J. for making those two shots and getting us back on track." So now Jacobs will have to take that aggression out west when he faces Jeff Stoughton in his first match at the trials in Stoughtons hometown. "Ya, I guess hes going to be pretty nervous," Jacobs joked. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '