Sonstiges » the backfield.The short passing game is

NEW YORK -- The USTA took a first tentative step toward embracing a shot clock intended to speed up play, utilizing a 20-second serve clock Sunday at the US Open junior championship. It was a feature of every match played on the tournaments opening day.The experiment was judged a success, but that may have been because it was made clear to the players that the clock was merely advisory. The serve clock expired a number of times in various matches, with no penalty levied.Were not changing the rules, USTA chief executive for professional tennis Stacey Allaster wrote in a news release. But we are testing the technology and getting the players and umpires used to it.The debate over whether the game needs a serve clock to keep matches moving at a fan-friendly pace became a serious issue circa 2010, at about the time that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic engaged in the epic duels that marked the height of their rivalry.Nadal was by no means the only ATP star to take an unusually long time between points, whether serving or receiving, but his pace was the most glacial. His habit rubbed off on some of his peers. Along the way, the slow players also violated the basic if rarely cited rule that the game proceeds at the servers pace.In November 2012, the ATP board of directors voted to alter the enforcement regimen for their existing 25-second rule. It amounted to a crackdown on slow players, with a warning for a first offense and a fault (for a server) or loss of a point (for a receiver) for all subsequent offenses. Nadal, who often took 25 or 30 seconds to recover after long points, termed the new rule and the ATPs emphasis on enforcement a disaster.The ITF has a slightly different rule. It calls for just 20 second between points but allows chair umpires discretion to apply or ignore the rule. The US Open is an ITF-affiliated event.Allaster, the former CEO of the WTA Tour, tried to get the serve clock ball rolling when she was at the helm of that organization. But she had little support from her constituents. She is finding a more receptive audience at the USTA, which has a history of innovation.Among other things, the US Open was the first tournament to embrace the final-set tiebreaker, and it also introduced Hawkeye line-calling technology.Youve got to think maybe [the USTA is] headed in that direction of having a clock, Lew Brewer, the tournament director of the junior tournament, told ESPN.com. They tend to try out lots of new things [like no-ad scoring and no-let serves] on juniors and college players.Progressive administrators and fans are thrilled with the idea of an NBA-style shot clock standing prominently right on the court, like the serve-speed clock. However, the serve clock Sunday was a disappointment to them, as it was incorporated into the main scoreboard.Most players had no trouble staying within the 20-second time limit, but a number of interested parties noticed that there was often a lag of five seconds -- or longer -- between the end of one point and the start of the serve clock.Brewer was surprised to hear that. He said the process is designed to be automatic. The serve clock is synched with the scoring device; the countdown is supposed to start as soon as the chair umpire records a point on his tablet. The umpire does have a separate button at his disposal that stops the clock in the event some extraneous event (such as a paper cup blowing onto the court) causes a delay.Brewer stressed that the chair umpire remains in control of tracking the time and can determine when to start -- or halt -- the clock. An umpire can do that simply by delaying the input of the score. That may explain the lag. Keep in mind that this is all meant to be experimental and educational, not punitive, he added.Sofia Kenin, a Floridian seeded No. 8 in the junior girls singles, won her opening match on Court 17 under the watchful eye of the serve clock. She said afterward that, like all juniors, she had been told to be aware of the clock and try to go faster when serving.At times during her match, she found herself glancing at the clock while waiting to return because she likes to play at a brisk pace.If youre losing, you want to take your time. So now you constantly have to think of the clock. Thats the downside, Kenin said. Its good not to give them too much time when theyre losing, but at the same time, Id like more time when Im losing.Catching herself, Kenin laughed.For now, though, it wont make much difference one way or another. But the serve clock at major events is one step closer to becoming a reality.Evgeni Malkin Penguins Jersey .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Matt Murray Jersey . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/jack-johnson-jersey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Jack Johnson Penguins Jersey . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. Chad Ruhwedel Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Davante Adams woke up Thursday not knowing if he would be cleared to play after spending a few days in the NFLs concussion protocol.The doctors gave him the go-ahead in the early afternoon.By the time the night was over, the third-year receiver had the best game of his young career.Adams had 13 catches for a career-high 132 yards and two scores, Aaron Rodgers threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers overpowered the Chicago Bears in the second half for a 26-10 victory.In a sense, a statement game. Im ready to play. I felt good, Adams said about the significance of his milestone day.Rodgers reached a milestone, too. He was 39 of 56, setting a franchise mark for completions in a game.The Bears (1-6) are down to their third-string quarterback after Brian Hoyer, who was starting for the already injured Jay Cutler, left in the second quarter with a broken left arm. Matt Barkley was 6 of 15 for 81 yards and two interceptions in place of Hoyer.I dont think anybodys proud of what weve done so far, Chicago tight end Zach Miller said. You can describe it in many ways. Its no fun.The injury to Hoyer had the Bears trying to lean on their running game. It didnt work, either.The Packers (4-2) needed to lean on Rodgers with injuries depleting the running back position . Playmakers emerged in the receiving corps.Ty Montgomery, a second-year wideout who also lines up in the backfield, took the majority of snaps at running back. He ran for nine carries on 60 yards and caught 10 passes for 66 yards.Adams took advantage of overmatched cornerback DeVaunte Bausby with the Bears top cornerback, Tracy Porter, defending Jordy Nelson much of the night.Veteran Randall Cobb had 11 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.Its fun to get those guys involved. When youre looking at matchups, a lot of times that dictates where the football goes, Rodgers said.The Bears were not having fun, especially in the second half.It started promisingly enough after Leonard Floyds stripped Rodgers on a sack on third-and-10 from the Packers 15 and recovered the fumble in the end zone. That gave Chicago a 10-6 lead 30 seconds into the third quarter.The Packers scored touchdowns on their next three drives. The Bears never crossed the Green Bay 42 in the second half.ddddddddddddther notes and takeaways from the game:HOYER HURT: The quarterback left early in the second quarter after getting hit by Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews on an incompletion on third-and-6 from midfield. The right-handed Hoyer looked as if he landed on his left arm. He was attended to by trainers on the field for a couple minutes before going to the locker room. Hoyer was 4 of 11 for 49 yards.The good news for the Bears is that they now have 10 days until their next game, on Oct. 31 against Minnesota. Maybe theyll have Cutler by then, too.SHORT AND SWEET: The Packers moved effectively on short gains most of the night, but couldnt break into the end zone until Adams caught the first of his two touchdown receptions with 9:11 left in the third quarter for a 13-10 lead. Rodgers took advantage of Chicagos soft underneath coverage. Adams made Nelson-like spin moves to break away from cornerbacks for extra yards.PASS TO RUN: Montgomery got the start in the backfield with running backs Eddie Lacy (ankle) and James Starks (knee) out. He and Cobb have similar, versatile skill sets. With a short week to prepare, the Packers didnt have much time to get newly-acquired running back Knile Davis up to speed on the playbook. But Montgomery filled the void in the backfield.The short passing game is like an extension of the running game in games like tonight when youre going with a lot of four-receiver packages with Ty back there, Rodgers said. Im really proud of the way he played. Theres a lot to build on.BIG FLOYD: The Bears only touchdown came from Floyd, who had been limited in practice this week with a calf injury. He has got those kinds of abilities. Its been problematic a little bit having him out there, but it was good to have him back out there tonight, coach John Fox said.INJURY REPORTBears: Besides Hoyer, RG Kyle Long left in the second quarter with an arm injury.Packers: RB Don Jackson, who was just activated from the practice squad Thursday to replace Lacy, left with a hand injury.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP ' ' '