that Ligety doesnt want to skip, especially since h

SUNDERLAND, England - Sunderland has hired a new sporting director to work alongside manager Gus Poyet at the relegation-threatened Premier League team. Lee Congerton, a 40-year-old Welshman, joins Sunderland from German club Hamburg, where he worked as technical director. He will oversee player recruitment and the scouting operation at the Stadium of Light and effectively replaces Roberto De Fanti, who left his role as the clubs director of football in January. Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne says "Lee is very highly regarded within football circles and we have been very impressed by him." After his playing career was cut short by injury, Congerton was part of the coaching staff at Liverpool and Chelsea before joining Hamburg. Sunderland is second-bottom in the Premier League, but has games in hand over the other relegation candidates. Deacon Jones Womens Jersey . 9 Baylor Bears just needed some time to get on track in their first game after the Christmas break. Joe Namath Jersey .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/jack-youngblood-jersey/ . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back. Orlando Pace Jersey . -- Among the 31 players at the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp, none feels closer to cracking the NHL roster than right winger Aaron Palushaj. Andrew Whitworth Youth Jersey . The future hall of famers stole the show at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night, with Jagr moving into seventh place in all-time goal scoring and Brodeur stopping 29 shots as the Devils downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-1.Ted Ligety was looking to add more hardware to his collection this season. Just not this kind of hardware.The two-time Olympic gold medallist had four metal screws inserted into his left wrist as a result of a skiing mishap in a training session on Nov 22.Now, hes showing his mettle by racing in the World Cup downhill, super-G and giant slalom races this weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Thats the current plan, anyway, despite a wrist thats still so tender he can barely push out of the start gate.Thats my job, to be out there skiing, no matter what, said the 30-year-old from Park City, Utah, who finished 3.73 seconds behind the top time of Norways Kjetil Jansrud in a downhill training session Tuesday. I wouldnt miss this for the world.If I can do this relatively safe, then Im going to be out there to push it.Ligety has had his fair share of broken wrists throughout his career. But this one topped the list as far as pain. He was practicing in Vail, Colorado, when he essentially hooked his hand on a gate, breaking bones in his wrist and tearing ligaments.It was straight to surgery.Just easier and faster to pin it all together, recovery-wise, he said.Following the procedure, Ligety took two days off and then returned to the hill. He trained without a ski pole — he couldnt hold one with his left hand — and said that has actually improved his balance.Ligety skipped the races in Lake Louise, Alberta, last weekend, to give the wrist more time to mend and to squeeze in some extra sessions in the giant slalom, the event he won at the Sochi Olympics.Every day my wrist feels better and better, said Ligety, who also captured gold in the combined at the 2006 Turin Olympics.The plan is to leave the screws in for the season and then remove them.Ligetys not the only big name on the mens team banged up. Six-time Olympic medallist Bode Miller had back surgery last month and will be sidelined until at least January.Thats just the nature of skiing. Its hard to stay fully healthy, Ligety said. It will be good to have Bode back healthy and pushing it, since his back has been bothering him for a while.ddddddddddddLigety said his injury couldve been much worse. But he was wearing a pair of gloves he helped design, along with U.S. Ski Team physician Dr. Randy Viola. They fortified racing gloves in vulnerable spots, using a material designed to harden upon impact.Saved me from getting completely smashed up, said Ligety.As for possibly doing even more damage to the wrist by competing, Ligety said thats not a concern.Once you get four screws put in there, its pretty locked down, Ligety said. Were not concerned about any further damage, other than smashing it on a gate, which would hurt it anyway. Once you have screws in there, its just waiting until the swelling comes down and the strength to come back. Ive kind of had the pain go away a little bit.Beaver Creek is one venue that Ligety doesnt want to skip, especially since hes always been so good on this hill. Hes won four giant slalom races on the challenging Birds of Prey course.Not only that, but its an opportunity to forget about the season-opening GS race in Soelden, Austria, in October. He was the favourite, but struggled on the bumpy course and finished 10th. His biggest rival, Marcel Hirscher of Austria, won the event.I think Soelden was going OK — I wasnt going to win — but couldve easily gotten second if I didnt hit a huge rock and lose all my speed and my edge going onto the flats, Ligety said.For years, Ligetys been on a different level than everyone else in the discipline, with some of his competitors even referring to him as Mr. GS. Hes won five World Cup GS titles and, of course, that Olympic gold in Sochi.This season, hes changed his training just to try to stay ahead of his competition. Hes working with a nutritionist and has cut way back on sugar, including ice cream — his weakness.Im just continually building on ways that I feel are the best for getting me faster, Ligety said. Im 30 years old now. Im not super young and a little kid anymore. ' ' '