Clan-Members » ranchise without a turnaround. 49ers

PITTSBURGH -- Dan Bylsma couldnt avoid speculation about his status as the Penguins coach in the days following Pittsburghs four-game pratfall against Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, even in his own house. Shortly after the Bruins swept the Stanley Cup favourites out of the playoffs last week, Bylsmas son Bryan asked his dad if he still had a job. "I would be lying to say that I was able to block all that stuff out," Bylsma said. Now he wont have to. The Penguins signed the second-winningest coach in franchise history to a two-year extension through 2016 on Wednesday, a very public vote of confidence after Pittsburghs quest for a Stanley Cup to bookend the one it captured in 2009 ended with four miserable losses to the Bruins. "I have a very good coach moving forward that I want to lead this team," general manager Ray Shero said. "I want to reward him with an extension that shows him and shows people that hes my coach and I believe in him." Its a belief Shero stressed was not shaken despite a fourth straight spring without a Cup for one of the NHLs most talented teams. Assistants Tony Granato and Todd Reirden will also be retained after the Penguins decided it wasnt time to change course following a regular season in which the Penguins posted the second-best record in the league. Shero, who met with owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle earlier this week, was prepared to go to bat for Bylsma, who is 201-92-25 since taking over for Michel Therrien in February, 2009. Turns out, Shero didnt have to step up after Lemieux and Burkle told him they were fully on board with keeping Bylsma in the fold. "They were 100 per cent supportive," Shero said. Even if the Penguins are just 3-4 in post-season series since captain Sidney Crosby raised the Cup after beating Detroit in Game 7 of the 2009 finals. Pittsburgh has fallen to a lower-seeded team each time, though the fourth-seeded Bruins hardly qualified as a major underdog. Boston didnt play like one, never trailing as the Penguins were swept for the first time in 34 years. Most galling was a 6-1 defeat at home in Game 2 that changed the tenor of the series. Pittsburgh regrouped and played well in a double-overtime loss in Game 3 and a 1-0 loss in Game 4, pretty clear evidence Bylsma had not lost the dressing room. He certainly didnt lose Shero. "We did some very good things over the course of the season," Shero said. "We won the Atlantic Division championship. We won 15 straight games that put us in position to have home-ice (advantage)." Those accomplishments and Bylsmas solid relationship with stars Crosby and Evgeni Malkin proved more powerful than the sting of disappointment. Malkin is entering the final year of his contract and the Penguins are intent on keeping him. Having the coach who helped turn Malkin into the league MVP a year ago certainly wont hurt. Shero understands the lure of blowing things up. It happens frequently in Pittsburgh. Bylsmas 319-game run is the longest since the franchise was founded in 1967. Bringing in a new face didnt make sense to Shero, who pointed to the stability of franchises like the Detroit Red Wings as the key to being a consistent Cup contender. Besides, while the new deal brings a sense of momentary calm, it hardly assures a sense of long-term security. Therrien was fired halfway through the 2008-09 season even though he signed a three-year extension a few months earlier. Shero also cautioned the deal doesnt absolve Bylsma or the players of what happened against the Bruins. It also doesnt mean the window for this group has closed. "Weve been to the conference finals three times in the last six years," Shero said. "We want a Cup. We want to get back there." Bylsma in particular. He called the extension "important" and in some ways a relief. He traded texts with his brothers assuring them he was "OK" after the loss to the Bruins. Now he can head into the off-season trying to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. His first order will be finding a new goaltending coach. Longtime goaltending coach Gille Meloche will move into a scouting role and whoever inherits his position will have to find a way to restore the confidence of Marc-Andre Fleury. The former No. 1 pick imploded in the opening round against the New York Islanders and lost his job to Tomas Vokoun. Bylsma and Shero insist the 28-year-old Fleury remains a part of the teams future. "Does he understand situation hes in? I think he does," Bylsma said. "Going forward there is not repair work to do with Marc-Andre Fleury and the coach and our team. Hes a good goalie ... hes going to win the majority of the games for us." With Bylsma at the helm. "We want to put ourselves into situations to win the Stanley Cup every year," Bylsma said. "We felt weve done that with our team." Air Max 97 Uk Cheap . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Air Max 97 Uk Online . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. http://www.airmax97ukcheap.com/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Air Max 97 Uk Sale .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. Cheap Air Max 97 Uk . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-11)OPEN CAMP: July 31, Santa Clara, CaliforniaLAST YEAR: After Jim Harbaughs departure to Michigan following 8-8 season and first missed playoffs in four years in late 2014, 49ers were even worse last season under first-year coach Jim Tomsula. Promoted from defensive line coaching spot, it was one-and-done before Chip Kelly was hired to replace him. General manager Trent Baalke, going into sixth season as GM and 12th with franchise, has vowed to be better; he knows his future is hardly safe for this storied franchise without a turnaround. 49ers avoided their worst record since going 4-12 in 2005 during coach Mike Nolans first season and with Alex Smith as rookie quarterback.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Kelly, LG Zane Beadles, rookies CB Rashard Robinson, WR Aaron Burbridge, OG Joshua Garnett, DE DeForest Buckner.IMPORTANT LOSSES: TE Vernon Davis, WR Anquan Boldin, G Alex Boone, returner/RB Jarryd Hayne.CAMP NEEDSS: 49ers must figure out whether Colin Kaepernick is healthy enough -- let alone reliable again -- to win back starting quarterback job in Kellys up-tempo offense or whether Blaine Gabbert will keep spot after being promoted over Kaepernick last November.dddddddddddd There also will be competitions at many key spots in Kellys first training camp.EXPECTATIONS: With loss of Boldin, San Franciscos receiving corps lacks experience behind Torrey Smith. That will provide rookie Burbridge and other young wideouts chance to prove themselves to Kelly during training camp and perhaps take on key roles. Baalke might be criticized for doing little in free agency, though he has said he likes current roster. Team added guard Beadles in quiet offseason.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '