is career in a 10-3 loss to the Angels on Sept. 3

Alex Naddour stops himself in mid-thought, his brain tapping the brakes so he can stress that hes aware his spot on the 2016 U.S. mens Olympic gymnastics team is not simply the result of the force of his considerable will.Im the luckiest guy I know, Naddour said.Let him count the ways.Theres his infant daughter, Lilah, whose arrival earlier this year gave the 25-year-old a perspective while sanding away the rough edges to his intense personality.Theres his wife, two-time world champion Hollie Vise, who knows a thing or two about the sacrifices it takes to compete at the highest level in an uncompromising sport.Theres his father, Mike, who came out of retirement to help his son become more than the one American whose grace makes pommel horse look like a good time, something to be enjoyed instead of endured.Maybe thats why the tears came so freely after Naddour heard his name called as part of the five-man group that will head to Brazil next month with the hopes of getting the U.S. back on the podium after flaming out in the finals in London four years ago. Maybe thats why he pounded his right hand over his heart at the end of his pommel horse routine on the final night of Olympic Trials.It took a lot of people to get to this point, he said.An alternate in 2012, Naddour never lacked belief he would make it even as he saw other teammates bask in the kind of attention that seemed to elude him.There were banners outside national championships, and Im not on them, he said. There were promos, I wasnt in them.There was the embarrassment of the 2013 world championships, when he was held out of the all-around competition despite finishing second behind Sam Mikulak at nationals.Nearly three years later, the snub still stings. Yet it provided more fuel to an internal fire that has long led Naddour to go his own way. He left the powerhouse program at Oklahoma in fall 2011 after clashing with coach Mark Williams over workload. Naddour wanted to focus all his attention on getting to the 2012 Olympics, something he doesnt believe he could have done if he stayed with the Sooners. Concerned over the potential workload of competing in the all-around during a collegiate season, Naddour headed back home to Arizona to train with his father.While he didnt make it to the floor in London -- watching from the stands as the Americans slipped from the top of the leaderboard in qualifying to fifth in team finals -- Naddour has no regrets, pointing out hes nearing a degree in business management at Arizona State. And because he didnt have to worry about retaining his amateur status following those games, Naddour was able to turn the paychecks he received for participating in the post-Olympic tour into a down payment on a house.I know (leaving) was the right choice, said Naddour, who dabbles in real estate to help pay the bills.So was the decision to press forward with a family. He found a kindred spirit in Vise, who won a pair of gold medals at the 2003 world championships. They were married last May and she pointed to a narrow window in which they could get a jumpstart on parenthood before training for Rio overtook Naddours life.Lilahs arrival in late winter would have signaled an abrupt lifestyle change in most marriages. Not for the Naddours, who upgraded to a one-story ranch to make it easier for Lilah (and they hope, one day, the rest of their kids) to get around. Hollie gave give Alex the master bedroom so he could get some regular sleep while mother and daughter moved to the other side of the house.Maybe some other wives would get frustrated but she gets my training, she knows how bad I want it, Naddour said. She takes care of Lilah in the morning so I can sleep and nighttime when I can sleep. Without her being in the sport and knowing what it takes, that would be difficult.A typical day for Naddour includes training at the gym from 11:30-4. Hollie then arrives at the gym -- where she runs the womens program -- and leaves Lilah with one of the grandparents before Naddour takes over from 4-8. Then its dinner and a little quiet time. When Hollie and Lilah head off to bed, Naddour heads outside for cardio.Ive got some payback to do as soon as all this is over, Naddour said. Im on daddy duty probably indefinitely once my career is over.Theres no telling when that day will come. Naddour built his reputation as one of the few Americans who excel on pommel horse -- a 45-second battle between gravity and the lactic acid in your arms and legs that few Americans win. Its a pretty quick way to get the attention of U.S. national team officials, yet after just missing out on London, Naddour realized he needed to become a more complete gymnast.When we didnt get to compete (in London) it was like: `Why? What happened? he said. Then we looked at the scores and while we contribute on pommels, it wasnt enough. With a five-man team, you need other events. Everyone knows it, I didnt at the time.Now he does. While Naddour won pommel horse easily during trials, he was also third on rings, sixth on floor exercise and eighth on vault, performances that made him a lock for Rio, while other teammates were relegated to alternate.Its a role he respects, but one hes happy not to fulfill this time around. Charlie Hough Rangers Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Frank Howard Rangers Jersey . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/362h-ivan-rodriguez-jersey-rangers.html . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Harold Baines Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. John Wetteland Rangers Jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners salvaged the third game of a pretty big September series against fellow wild-card contender Houston on Sunday.That series was nothing compared to the enormity of the three games that could make or break Seattle over the next three days. The Mariners (79-70) come off their Sunday win over Houston with a huge series against a Toronto team that lost Sunday and now holds a two-game lead over Seattle in the American League wild-card standings.The approach the Mariners are taking into this series with all-or-nothing consequences is to treat it like the rest.Anyone can beat anyone, catcher Mike Zunino said after Sundays 7-3 win over the Astros. To put added pressure on ourselves is out of our style. Thats not something we need to do.Center fielder Leonys Martin said the Mariners arent getting too wrapped up in the standings.Were in a situation now where weve got to win every game, no matter who were playing, Martin said. We just need to keep fighting and never give up, like weve been doing.Seattle will send right-hander Taijuan Walker to the mound for Mondays opener, and its hard to know what to expect whenever the 24-year-old former top prospect is on the mound. Walker struggled with inconsistency and a foot injury to the point that he was demoted to Triple-A in August, and he endured one of the worst starts of his career in a 10-3 loss to the Angels on Sept. 3. But hes bounced back to put together two solid outings, includding a complete-game shutout his last time out.ddddddddddddThe Mariners credit Walkers latest turnaround -- albeit for only two starts -- to a dramatic change in his delivery. Its worked out so far, as the new delivery has produced good results.Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. told MLB.com recently that Walkers willingness to adapt was a big part of his improvement.At the tail end of the season for a team that is possibly in a playoff run, to go out and kind of create a new delivery is not easy to do, Stottlemyre said.Toronto is hoping starter Marco Estrada (8-9, 3.78 ERA) can change the teams fortunes after losing the final two games of the Angels series over the weekend. The Blue Jays managed to score just one run in those two losses, causing them to fall a game behind Baltimore in the wild-card standings.Sundays loss left manager John Gibbons to tell reporters: Sometimes you run into a road block and you struggle.The Blue Jays hope to navigate the obstacle and keep moving forward this week -- and on into their final three series against the Yankees, Orioles and Red Sox.Were right there, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki told MLB.com on Sunday. We play those teams that are right there with us, too, with our remaining schedule. We like where were at, obviously we know we can play better and hopefully that comes out real soon. ' ' '