s trending up. A victory over Navy would be another step in the right direction.It would mean a lot to the program, Simon said. Itll mean so much going forward and bring momentum for the years to come

It was the freak fishing injury that threatened to derail his NRL pre-season, but the only pain for Peter Wallace was the embarrassment of telling the story.The Penrith veteran trained for the first time on Tuesday since being forced to undergo emergency surgery on his left hand while on holiday in Queensland last month.I just cut my fingers while I was away, on the rocks. I got a tendon repaired. Its obviously embarrassing. Get through the season unscathed then go away and hurt yourself, Wallace said.The cuts were so bad that it was initially feared the reborn hooker couldve missed the vast majority of the pre-season, however he was relieved to only miss a couple of weeks.Wallace reunited with the main squad in a 90-minute session in the heat on Tuesday.It was just an accident, these things happen. It was just unfortunate, really, he said.There was a fear it was going to put a bit more dent in the pre-season than it has, but the fingers are all healing really well. That was my first session today and it was all good.The former club captain is expected to start the 2017 season at hooker, despite the last-minute recruitment of former St George Illawarra rake Mitch Rein.Wallace said signing the NSW Country Origin representative was a huge boost for the club.Mitch is a great pick-up for us, quality player, Wallace said.A lot of depth to the squad as well - that was one area we were a little bit light on and its covered that really well. Im looking forward to working with him.For the 31-year-old Wallace, the dramatic start to the summer is in stark contrast to 12 months ago, when his future at the club was in question following the coaching appointment of Anthony Griffin.The pair had a falling out when working together in Brisbane, however Griffins decision to shift Wallace to dummy-half proved to be one of the key elements of Penriths push deep into the finals last season.Wallace believes he can find another gear with an entire pre-season training at hooker.I feel Ive got a lot of improvement left. I was still probably learning the role towards the back end of last year, he said.This time last year I wasnt running either, so its been really good to be back into the group and doing the full training. Clyde Drexler Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Vernon Maxwell Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/1197z-gary-clark-jersey-rockets.html . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Otis Thorpe Jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Jack Marin Jersey . 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. Army defensive back Gervon Simon has never played against Navy, and hes a senior. Even if he doesnt get his first chance on Saturday when the archrivals meet in Baltimore, hes more than ready for what will be the biggest football game of his life.This is the most excited Ive been and the most confident Ive felt in our team in all four years, Simon said. I dont think there needs to be any more motivation. As a team, we understand the significance of this game.Army coach Jeff Monken is in his third year at West Point, and he marvels at the passion of players like Simon, whose Army resume is scant. Simon, also a member of special teams, has played in only four games this season and has assisted on two tackles. Those are the only four games Simon has played in his Army career.When you consider that Simon was a standout quarterback in high school in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and that his father, Geroy, was a star receiver at Maryland and one of the most decorated players in Canadian Football League history, you understand why Monken heaps praise on this senior class.They decided that it was time for us to get it done, Monken said. Theyve worked tirelessly. Tough, resilient, hard-working group of guys that believe in each other. No matter whats come our way, they found a way to claw back and come back the next week and prepare for the next day.What a great example for the young guys coming behind them. I hope this is only just the beginning.Army (6-5) is in sort of rarefied air for a program thats been down and out for the past two decades. With a date in a bowl game this month, the Black Knights have a chance to post only their second winning season since 1996.First things first, though, for the firsties (seniors) -- stopping the 14-game winning streak fashioned by Navy (9-3) in the series.It feels good being able to go to a bowl game, but definitely not thinking about that right now, senior linebacker Jeremy Timpf said.We need to get it done, added Simon. Theres no substitute for it at the end of the day. We need to win. Thats it.That streak-ending victory nearly came a year ago with freshman quarterback Chris Carter playing in only his second gamme for Army.dddddddddddd A Hail Mary on the final play of the game fell short and the Midshipmen held on for a 21-17 triumph in Philadelphia.And so its been another 362 days -- and counting -- of the same dialogue, the same mindset that is everywhere at West Point.Theres no other program that wants to beat the other academy (as Army does), said Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, a star at Army who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan and won a Bronze Star before getting a chance to play in the NFL. You say `Beat Navy! a thousand times a day at the academy. You say it when you salute somebody. It gets ingrained.It sucks to lose to Navy, but its for school pride, Villanueva said. We beat Navy in basketball, we beat Navy in rugby, we beat Navy in other sports. You love that. But football is one of those things we havent won in a long time.Monken, a former assistant at Navy, has placed his imprint on the Army program, and its trending up. A victory over Navy would be another step in the right direction.It would mean a lot to the program, Simon said. Itll mean so much going forward and bring momentum for the years to come -- to be able to change the result this year and get the win. The culture has changed so much from my first year here to now. Its a better culture.Regardless of the outcome, theres always one constant for the players.I think Army is on the right path, but football is never a priority in the hearts and minds of a player. It wasnt for my class, said Villanueva, who graduated from West Point in 2009. The last time we played Navy, we lost and obviously it sucks, but immediately after I pulled off my cleats II said, `My career in the Army is the one thing that takes (precedent).My heart was on serving after getting done with four years at the academy. It was never going to the academy to play football.---AP Sports Writers Dave Ginsburg in Baltimore and Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '