Olympian Ashley Spencer received a thank you from?Indianapolis Colts?vice chair and owner Kalen Jackson in recognition of?her accomplishments for the country and the state of Indiana while in Rio de Janeiro.The Colts originally invited Spencer, who was born in Indianapolis,?to represent the state and be honored with other athletes at?their home opener.The 400-meter hurdles bronze medalist received a personalized jersey, medal and plaque from the Colts.-- Courtney Schellin Air Max Plus Canada . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Air Max Plus Canada Clearance . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. http://www.cheapairmaxpluscanada.com/ . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Air Max Plus Canada Sale .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Cheap Air Max Plus . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Mention to a badminton superfan the widespread American view that the sport is mostly a backyard lark and watch the steam come out of their ears.They find it inconceivable that anyone, even Americans steeped in football and basketball, could mistake badminton for anything other than a complex, endlessly fascinating symphony of power, agility and speed.With apologies to the purists: Most Americans cant see past their leisurely, backyard BBQ encounters with the game.It wasnt always that way.Badminton once enthralled many in the United States. Its athletes graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, staged badminton on ice escapades and won world championships.That was half a century ago. They now struggle to make it out of the first rounds of the Olympics, and to win fans enamored with swimming and track superstars.The problem, as it is for many Olympic sports that are sensations internationally but less popular in the United States, is money.When a U.S. athlete faces a player from a traditional badminton power, theyre not just facing the individual, theyre facing an entire system -- all of its financial backing, training facilities, coaching and scouting infrastructure.For the U.S., we are all still self-funded. Were individuals. Were not a team, said Iris Wang, a 21-year-old U.S. Olympian from California, after a recent practice session in Rio.Wang pointed toward some South Koreans practicing nearby.They fly together; they train together. We all train separately. They have the resources to bring in a masseuse, physical therapy, said Wang, who took three years off from UCLA to focus on badminton and who will return soon for her sophomore year. I heard China sometimes brings chefs to tournaments, and were just struggling to make it through.Until the mid-20th century, Americans often dominated badminton, and the sport enjoyed widespread popularity.Dave Freeman, the Pasadena Flash, a neurosurgeon considered by some to be badmintons greatest player, was the only American man to reach world No.dddddddddddd. 1 and won the equivalent of the world championship in 1949.FBI agent Joe Alston boosted the sport when he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1955 after winning his second U.S. Open singles title.Badminton comedy shows toured America in the `40s and `50s, and people lined up for badminton on ice reviews.Gradually, however, football, baseball and basketball began to rob attention from badminton.Those who now embrace the game in the United States often do so because their parents are fans or because they have relatives or friends whove shown them how seriously badminton is taken in parts of Asia and Europe.A return to its 20th century heyday will be difficult.In Asia, the big powers often subsidize their badminton programs. Prospects are scouted young, brought into well-run training programs and nurtured. They dont, for the most part, have to worry about money.U.S. players, by contrast, must often hustle to pay for a court to practice on, a coach to instruct them, equipment, sparring partners, air fare and tournament entry fees. Without resources they struggle to win, which means sponsors are reluctant to help.Wang has a sponsorship with a Taiwan-based tech company but also gets help from her parents. She played hard in Rio, but ran into Li Xuerui, the defending Olympic champion from China, and lost 2-0.Wang said making badminton an NCAA sport could help increase its popularity and encourage more high school students to play. Otherwise, many potentially good players will go to other sports.Wang smiles when asked how she discovered badminton.A backyard birthday party for my sisters friend, she said. I thought, `Oh my gosh, thats so cool. I was really intrigued by it, and I was really bad at it.---Follow Foster Klug at www.twitter.com/apklug . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/foster-klug ' ' '