SFPD » (7-1), who are tied for the best record in the NFL behind rookie q

MADRID -- Piece by piece, Florentino Perez is making sure Real Madrid remains a top contender.And he is doing it without resorting to more galacticos, instead sticking to the current group who helped the team thrive in recent years by extending the contract of Madrids top players past 2020.At the core of this group is Cristiano Ronaldo, who on Monday became the latest player to have his link with the club extended. The three-time world player of the year signed a new deal that ties him to Madrid until June 2021, when he will be 36 years old.You dont get tired of winning and that is why Real Madrid wants you to continue here forever, the club president said to Ronaldo. Youre already a Real Madrid legend.Before Ronaldo, Perez had renewed the contract of Gareth Bale, securing the Wales forward until 2022.I extended my contract because I feel very happy here, Bale said. I think we can keep winning titles.Bale was the player in which Perez spent big on a transfer, paying Tottenham 101 million euros in 2013, a record amount that stood until Manchester United shelled out 105 million euros for Paul Pogba in August.The president didnt choose to go on another spending spree this year even though he knew of a looming one-year signing ban handed down by FIFA after the club was found guilty of breaking rules protecting underage players.Instead, he preferred to keep the group of players that in May led the team to its second Champions League title in three seasons.Croatia midfielder Luka Modric had his contracted extended last month until 2020, and fellow defensive midfielder Toni Kroos got a new deal until 2022. Young forward Lucas Vazquez signed a new contract keeping him in Madrid until 2021.Ronaldo, Bale, Kroos and Modric have been nominated for FIFAs best player of the year award.There are doubts about whether Perez will try to stick with France forward Karim Benzema after his current contract ends in 2019, but the club has already secured youngster Alvaro Morata, who returned to Madrid after playing well with Juventus in Italy. Morata is staying until 2021.Perez now will have to turn his focus to the defense, as Pepes current contract ends next season. In a few years, the president will likely have to negotiate with captain Sergio Ramos, left back Marcelo and right back Dani Carvajal, whose contracts end in 2020.Madrid has a two-point lead over Barcelona in the Spanish league, a competition it hasnt won since 2012. It will play the city derby against fourth-place Atletico Madrid at Vicente Calderon Stadium on Nov. 19, after the international break.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Wholesale Custom Rockets Shirts . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Cheap Custom Rockets Jersey . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. http://www.customrocketsjersey.com/ . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Custom Rockets Jerseys . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Rockets Jerseys China .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. PITTSBURGH -- Arthur Moats thought for a second and then basically pulled off the impossible.He managed to sound both angry and optimistic at the same time when asked how a team expected to run away with the AFC North finds itself mired at an uninspired 4-4 at the midway point following a lifeless loss in Baltimore .Frustrated. (Ticked), the almost serially upbeat linebacker said. Because we know the talent we have, how good we can be. But its just not been consistent.Not even close.The offense that wanted to average 30 points a game is averaging a full touchdown less than that. The defense hoping to take another step forward in defensive coordinator Keith Butlers second year instead finds itself still looking for traction.And the special teams? Check Twitter, where GIF-able versions of the blocked punt for a touchdown given up to the Ravens and Chris Boswells comedic attempt at a late onside kick (think hackey-sack trick gone awry) are there for your amusement.Weve got to be better, guard Ramon Foster said. Got to be pros about it, thats the best word I can use for it.And perhaps the most polite. A year ago, the Steelers began the second half at a similar crossroads then went 6-2 down the stretch to make the playoffs and give eventual Super Bowl champion Denver a serious scare in the divisional round.This start, however, feels different. Pittsburgh has dropped three straight, its longest skid since dropping the first four games in 2013. Whats worse, they havent even been competitive on the road.In each of their past three road losses the Steelers have managed all of 40 points and only one touchdown before pre-garbage time stat fillers that made the outcome more respectable.We have to realize we have to be a team that teams want to beat, Foster said. Weve got to treat ourselves like that. We cant drop an egg.Let alone three, all against middling teams that are all 4-4 themselves and none that entered September with the hype or the pedigree in Pittsburgh.Weve got to be the best team in the stadium, at least give the best effort, Foster said. Yesterdayy we werent that team.ddddddddddddAt least the Steelers will be home next Sunday, a place where theyre averaging a robust 28.5 points a game.Thats the good news. The bad news? Its against the surging Dallas Cowboys (7-1), who are tied for the best record in the NFL behind rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott.The kids with the blue star on their helmets have played with poise. The Steelers have not, at least not lately. Pittsburghs racked up 29 penalties over its past three games.At one point in the second half in Baltimore, the Steelers had been flagged for more yards than they gained.Were shooting ourselves in the foot, running back LeVeon Bell said. Its definitely not time to panic for us. We know how good we can be. Weve just to go put things together. Its been showing (but) weve lost three straight. Weve got to go and put it together.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger included. While he managed to suit up just 20 days removed from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, Pittsburgh struggled to get into any sort of rhythm until the Ravens were up by three touchdowns.By then it was far too late and the Steelers fell to 12-14 on the road in games Roethlisberger has started since 2013.Roethlisberger, as he typically does, shouldered a large portion of the blame saying I need to be more accurate.Maybe, but the issues currently plaguing his team are more widespread.Still, Roethlisbergers brilliance has often been enough to overcome whatever Pittsburgh lacks in certain areas. That hasnt been the case over the past month.Bell stressed theres no time to panic. And despite the current malaise, the Steelers are still right in the thick of a so-so AFC North.Considering how poorly theyve played of late, theyll take it. Mostly because they have to.We can still control what we want to control, Moats said.Better start soon.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '