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ATLANTA -- Build it and the Super Bowl will come. That message rang loud and clear Tuesday when Minneapolis was awarded the 2018 game after a vote by owners rewarded the city for its new stadium deal. The owners chose Minneapolis and the $1 billion stadium planned for the site of the old Metrodome to host the championship over New Orleans and Indianapolis. "In large part, it was due to recognition of the great work theyve done on the stadium," Commissioner Roger Goodell noted. "Its been 10 years and weve always been driving to build a stadium," Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said. "We can rejoice right now for being rewarded this, but the hard work comes now." New Orleans bid committee members were certain the new Minneapolis stadium, set to open in 2016, swung the vote. The stadium will hold up to 72,000 for the Super Bowl. "The new stadium was absolutely the deciding factor," Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President Jay Cicero said. "Any time that there is so much public support for a $1 billion stadium, the NFL owners are impressed. "We did everything we were supposed to do, had a fantastic presentation. In the end we think the stadium did it." The big game will be staged in the Twin Cities for the second time. It was there in 1992, when Washington beat Buffalo. It will be there in 2018 because the Vikings lobbied for years to replace the aging Metrodome, one of the NFLs least profitable facilities. When Minnesota political leaders realized the team could move out of state without a new home, the stadium project moved forward. Legislators in 2012 approved the stadium, with taxpayers carrying about 56 per cent of the freight. Owners needed four ballots to choose Minneapolis, with Indianapolis the first city eliminated. Indy was praised for a highly successful 2012 Super Bowl, but could have been hurt by the recent legal troubles of Colts owner Jim Irsay. Irsay underwent treatment after he was arrested and accused of having $29,000 in cash and bottles of prescription drugs in his car. He made his first public appearance at these meetings since the arrest. Irsay said Indianapolis will bid again. "Before, we had to lose one to get one," he said, noting Indy fell short in previous bids before landing the 2012 game. "It will take persistence and we know we have the type of people who will be that." New Orleans was considered the favourite and has staged the Super Bowl 10 times, tied with South Florida for the most. Its bid might have been damaged by the blackout that interrupted the 2013 title game. Next years game is in Glendale, Arizona, followed by Santa Clara, California, for the 50th Super Bowl, then Houston. Earlier at their spring meetings, NFL owners tabled any vote expanding the playoffs to 14 teams. There is strong sentiment among the owners to add a wild-card team in each conference to the post-season, most likely beginning in 2015. Under such a setup only the team with the best record in each conference will get a week off at the beginning of the playoffs. Goodell said it will be discussed again in October. "I do believe it will be approved for the 2015 season," he said. New York Giants owner John Mara is against adding more playoff teams. "I dont think its a sure thing at all," Mara said. "Its probably more likely than not, but nothing is set in stone. There was no straw poll taken. ... I think its good the way we have it." The players union says it needs to be consulted on an expanded post-season, and Goodell said he spoke with NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith two weeks ago about it. Also Tuesday: --A committee examining the time, length and site of the draft reported to the owners. The NFL will consider whether to keep it in May. It drew record TV ratings this year after it was moved back two weeks from its usual late April slot. It also will look into adding a fourth day and moving it from its traditional spot in New York to a variety of NFL cities, with a dozen already having expressed interest; "If I was king of the world, Id put it right back where it was," Mara said, referring to the April dates. --Goodell said that had HGH testing been implemented, 104 other cases under the leagues drug policy would have been heard by an independent arbitrator, with 21 players being referred to the first level of the drug program rather than being suspended. The NFL and players union agreed to HGH testing in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, but the union first balked at the procedures for testing, then at Goodell having the final say on appeals. The NFLPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. --New director of football operations Troy Vincent hired three advisers, including Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary. Vincent, a former All-Pro defensive back, also hired former NFL player and coach Jimmy Raye and former player and general manager Mike Reinfeldt. Among other chores, the three new hires will serve as liaisons to league coaches and front-office personnel. Rico Gathers Jersey . The Broncos quarterback earned the offensive award Wednesday after passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-21 win over the Raiders Monday night. Manning completed 32-of-37 passes and had a passer rating of 135. Jaylon Smith Jersey . So what happens? Stevenson lands a huge left to Dawsons temple only 76 seconds into the opening round and walks away with the championship belt. "I said Id knock him out," said Stevenson (21-1). http://www.thecowboysfansmall.com/c-16- ... ersey.aspx. -- Phil Mickelson came to the St. Jeff Heath Jersey . - Joao Plata scored twice in the final 24 minutes, including the winner in stoppage time, to help Real Salt Lake remain unbeaten with a 3-2 victory over the winless Chicago Fire on Saturday night. Nolan Carroll Jersey . The Raptors have to get through the pesky New York Knicks Wednesday at Madison Square Garden and can lock up the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a win or a Chicago loss in Charlotte. NEW YORK -- Geno Smith: three points. Michael Vick: seven. Quarterback controversy for the New York Jets? Nope. Not even close. OK, well, not yet. "Well just let this thing play out," coach Rex Ryan said. "Its our first preseason game. Obviously, we know we have two excellent quarterbacks." Smith led the Jets to a field goal in his two series with the starters in a 13-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night. Vick created a bit of a buzz by leading a touchdown drive with the first-team offence, and showing he can still make plays with his legs. While the Jets maintain the two are competing, it has been clear its Smiths job to lose -- and he did nothing to downgrade his spot on the depth chart. Smith was 4 of 6 for 33 yards -- including a drive capped by a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk -- before giving way to Vick. He also had an impressive Vick-like 10-yard scramble on a read-option. "I thought Geno played extremely well," Ryan said. "He had a few throwaways. I thought he did a great job stepping up in the pocket a few times and protecting the ball." Smith is taking 75 per cent of the first-team snaps during camp. Ryan and the Jets need to know for sure what theyve got in Smith -- or if they need to go back to the drawing board next off-season. The 34-year-old Vick came out to cheers and led a 14-play drive with the starters that tied it at 10 in the second quarter. It came mostly against the Colts defensive backups and was also helped by two 15-yard penalties on Indianapolis. "To have a 14-play drive, it only builds your confidence," Vick said. Vick also got the MetLife Stadium crowd fired up when he took off to his left as the pocket collapsed, avoided a tackle attempt and zipped downfield for 15 yards for a first down. "He looked great, shoot," Ryan said with a big smile. Vick, who ran with the backups in his second drive, finished 3 off 6 for 17 yards and rushed three times for 19 yards.dddddddddddd "I did all right," he said. "Couldve been better." Both Smith and Vick have had a solid but not spectacular training camp so far. The big thing for Smith is that he appears to have cut back on the debilitating mistakes he made through most of his rookie season. He stared down his receivers many times and also struggled with ball security while committing 25 turnovers. "I was going through my reads pretty smoothly," Smith said of his two drives. "A couple of those plays, they got some guys that were free on me and I had to get the ball away. But other than that, the game felt good." Vick was signed in March to give the Jets a veteran backup who could push Smith and step in if he falters or is injured. Vick is familiar with offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinwegs system from their days together in Philadelphia, so he made for the perfect choice. While he still believes he could start and star in the NFL, Vick has been saying all the right things -- including that Smith is the unquestioned starter. Despite leading the touchdown drive, Vick isnt anticipating any additional snaps with the first-team offence when practices resume Saturday. Because of his ability to make plays with his legs, the notion of using Vick in a wildcat-like role is intriguing. Vick, however, isnt so high on the idea, simply because he believes it disrupts the timing of the quarterback and the offence. "I think it has to be done at the right time," he said. "I experienced that in Philadelphia with Donovan (McNabb) at times. You want to go out there and let the quarterback get into a rhythm and not try to do too much. I think thats doing too much." But then, Vick left the door opened a bit for the possibility. "When the time calls for it," he said, "then I think the coaches will see fit that thats put in." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '