England forward Fran Kirby expects fans to turn out in their numbers for the inaugural SheBelieves Cup which kicks off on Friday. The Lionesses play host nation USA in Tampa on Friday evening before coming up against European champions Germany in Nashville on March 7, followed by a meeting with France in Boca Raton two days later.It is the first tournament for Mark Sampsons side since their epic 2015 Womens World Cup campaign, which saw them finish third and become the most successful senior England football team to travel overseas. England will play Germany for the first time since beating them to bronze in Canada And Chelsea Ladies striker Kirby, who scored against Mexico at last years World Cup, cannot wait for the action to get started in Florida.I think the crowds are going to be huge out there coming off the back of the success of the Womens World Cup, with of course, USA winning it, Kirby told Sky Sports News HQ.They are predicting 20,000 at each game and obviously we have USA first, so its going to be a really good experience for all of us to be out there and get involved in. USA won last years Womens World Cup The Lionesses have played in the annual Cyprus Cup tournament for the last seven years, but Kirby thinks their invitation to participate in the SheBelieves Cup is a sign of the growing strength of English womens football.I think its the first time England have been considered to go to a tournament this big, she said.There are three great teams as well as us there. It will be great for womens football in England and great for all of us that are going. Also See: SportsWomen Latest Show News Latest News SportsWomen Video John Moore Jersey . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Bobby Orr Jersey . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/johnny-bucyk-hockey-jersey/ . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Zdeno Chara Jersey . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Jake DeBrusk Jersey . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. PHILADELPHIA -- Theres a clock in Sam Bradfords head, and its ticking fast. The alarm goes off at 2.3 seconds, which is the average length of time its taking the Minnesota Vikings?quarterback to throw the ball this season. That was the fourth-fastest time in the entire NFL entering Sundays game, and Sundays game showed the reason for that.Its hard to evaluate his performance when you look like a sieve in there, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said after his team suffered its first loss of the season?21-10 to the Philadelphia Eagles.Theres a clock in Zimmers head too. Although its showing weeks and months instead of seconds, its ticking just as unmercifully. Zimmer is a man who knows his teams glittering 2016 start didnt come with much margin for error. At some point, the alarm clock is going to ring, and the expiration date is going to arrive. At some point, the wolf knocks on the door and sacks Bradford six times in one game.We were soft. We got overpowered. We got whipped, Zimmer said. It was a poor display. We have to stay away from negative plays offensively. Were not good enough to overcome these things.The 5-0 record the Vikings carried into Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday wasnt a mirage, but it wasnt bulletproof, either. The pressure with which the Eagles defensive front whipped Minnesotas overmatched tackles was the attack for which Zimmer has clearly been bracing. Philadelphia sacked Bradford six times, and the Eagles also hit him 19 times and knocked him down 14 times. A tackle rotation that included T.J. Clemmings, Jeremiah Sirles and recently signed veteran Jake Long didnt have any answers for the Eagles edge rushers, who were appropriately unimpressed.They were down a couple of offensive linemen, Connor Barwin said, so we knew there was going to be some opportunity there.Was there ever. Bradford and the Vikings offense didnt turn the ball over once the first five games of the season. They turned it over twice in the first quarter Sunday. The only reason this game didnt get out of hand right away was that the Eagles turned the ball over three times in the first quarter, a truly sordid 15 minutes of facsimile football in which it appeared as if each offense perceived the ball to be radioactive.But when things did settle down, it was Bradford, more than Philadelphias Carson Wentz, who spent the critical part of the day under siege.Its hard to throw when someones grabbing your arm, Zimmer said. Im not worried about Bradford.He should be. Even if he isnt concerned about Bradfords performance (which is wwhat he meant), theres surely reason to worry about Bradfords health if the protection issues dont improve.dddddddddddd. Bradford is in his seventh NFL season and has played all 16 games only twice -- most recently in 2012. The Vikings obviously know hes a health risk; everyone does. They acquired him a week before the start of the season out of desperation, for a first-round pick and more, because Teddy Bridgewater got hurt and they believed they had a chance to win the Super Bowl if they could get decent quarterback play. The risk, for the Vikings, is worth it because they believe -- and believe they have shown -- the ability to compete with anyone in the NFL this season.But oh, that ticking clock. Not two weeks into the season, Minnesota lost starting left tackle Matt Kalil and, worst of all, star running back Adrian Peterson. That combination of absences has left the Vikings without a running game or a viable, week-to-week plan to keep Bradford upright. And they feel it.Hes as tough as they come, and hes shown that in these last five games, Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said of Bradford. Id like to eliminate some of those hits hes taking and keep him on his feet.Bradford would like that too, and Zimmer made no secret of how badly he craves that. The Vikings arent going to be able to go get outside help. They already dealt their first-round pick for Bradford, and theyre only about $426,000 under the salary cap. Even if they could trade for a new left tackle, they couldnt pay him. This is what theyve got: this combination of overmatched tackles and a loud, ticking clock.Obviously, Ive been on teams that have had the injury bug, and Ive fought it too, Bradford said. Its been a different group of guys in front of me, but I cant let that affect me. Ive got confidence in those guys. Theyve done a great job of keeping me clean, keeping me protected. I think well come back, figure out a way to get better, and well overcome this.That clock thats in Bradfords head every time he takes a snap is just like the one that needs to be in the Vikings heads as they swallow their first loss and take this turn into the middle part of the season. Theyre 5-1 and have looked as good as any team in the league this year. But because they cant afford for Bradford to get hurt and because their biggest current problem puts his health at direct risk, they dont have a lot of time to get this figured out. ' ' '
