PARIS -- Mario Balotelli further underlined his real value since joining Nice on a free transfer, scoring his sixth goal in five league games as the French leader thrashed Nantes 4-1 on Sunday.The Italian striker was also directly involved in two other goals as surprise leader Nice maintained its six-point lead over defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.Balotellis impact has been significant, and not just for his goals.Mario has been tracking back more, Nice coach Lucien Favre said. Thats positive.The Nice fans already have a chant for Balotelli -- La, la, la, la, la, la, la, Su-per Mar-io -- in sweet music for Balotelli to hear after two difficult seasons.Balotellis unhappy time at Liverpool came to end when the English club sent him on loan to AC Milan last season -- his former club -- but he got only one goal in 20 league games.The season before that, he managed only one league goal for Liverpool in 16 games.When he joined Nice, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher -- a respected stalwart with more than 700 appearances for the English club -- sarcastically tweeted that a free transfer was still over the odds for Balotelli.Seven goals in seven games so far -- the other was in the Europa League -- strongly suggests otherwise.Balotellis goal ratio is even more impressive given that he is short of full fitness and has occasional muscle injuries, meaning that he does not always play the full 90 minutes. He was given a rousing ovation when he came off in the 74th minute, by which time Nice was 4-1 up.Balotelli played a part in the opener, scored by midfielder Wylan Cyprien in the 10th minute.Younes Belhanda picked out Balotellis run and, although he was closed down, the ball broke loose in the area and fell for Cyprien.Balotelli made it 2-0 in the 26th.Ivory Coast midfielder Jean Michael Seri hit a superb looping pass to Balotelli, who held off a defender before guiding the ball past goalkeeper Remy Riou with the outside of his foot.Mario controlled it superbly for his goal, Favre said.Alassane Plea, a highly promising striker, added the third goal -- his seventh of the season.Then, Balotelli played a key part in the fourth, flicking a superbly timed pass through to Portuguese left back Ricardo Pereira as he broke down the wing, and Cyprien drove the ball home from Pereiras pass.Were winning in style, said Favre, who was hired this summer after Claude Puel left to take charge of Premier League side Southampton.Nice finished fourth last season on limited resources, but looks like doing much better this time.---RENNES 1, METZ 0Brittany side Rennes has one of the best youth academies in France -- arguably second only to Lyon.Forward Wesley Said is the latest revelation to come through the ranks, and he brilliantly volleyed home the winner against Metz in the 56th minute.The 21-year-old Said also scored midweek in a League Cup win against Lorient.Things are going well for me at the moment, Said said.Last season, winger Ousmane Dembele caught the eye for Rennes.He also was shaped by the club, and the 19-year-old Dembele is now starring in the Bundesliga and the Champions League for Borussia Dortmund.Said has two league goals so far, but with this kind of finishing should get plenty more this season.The win moved Rennes up to fifth place ahead of next weekends trip to PSG.---MARSEILLE 0, BORDEAUX 0Despite the best efforts of winger Florian Thauvin, Marseille could not beat resilient Bordeaux.The 23-year-old Thauvin, on loan from English side Newcastle, has been in good form.After going close in the first half, he almost won the game in injury time with a curling effort that goalkeeper Jerome Prior clawed away.Bordeaux is in ninth place, one place above Marseille.Puma Womens Shoes Orange . 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The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Puma Womens Shoes On Sale .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers.Overland Park, Kan. - Ten NCAA? Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected today as finalists for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award? in collegiate football, including a national-leading four from the SEC. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.The finalists from the SEC include: Evan Engram, Ole Miss ; O.J. Howard, Alabama; Chad Kelly, Ole Miss; TreDavious White, LSU. The complete list of finalists follows this release.In the classroom, Howard has already earned his undergraduate degree as of this past May and is currently pursuing a masters degree in the Sport Business Management program at Alabama. He earned Deans List honors in his final semester of undergraduate studies and maintains a 3.0 grade point average. One of the Crimson Tides vocal leaders, Howard also leads by the example he displays both on and off the field. He is a member of the football teams leadership council and has earned himself a spot as a game captain on numerous occasions. A recognizable face across the state, Howard makes an effort to be available to the media and fans - win or lose - always displaying a positive attitude. The senior tight end goes out of his way on a consistent basis to accommodate team members, football staff and media members, despite his loaded schedule with athletics and class in his graduate year. On the field, Howard has been one of the Tides most consistent players and one of the top tight ends in the nation. Heading into the 2016 season, he was chosen to the Mackey, Maxwell, Wuerffel and Lombardi Award preseason watch lists. In eight games this year, the senior tight end has caught 22 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he was named MVP of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game thanks to his record-setting performance against Clemson that saw him haul in five catches for a career-high 208 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished his junior season as the teams leader in yards per catch, averaging 15.8 yards per reception.For the last two seasons, White has donned the iconic No. 18 jersey which is given to an LSU player before the start of the season that exemplifies success both on and off the field. White is only the third player since the tradition started in 2003 to wear it multiple seasons, as he has been named All-SEC, All-SEC Freshman Team and to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. White has been a lock in the LSU defense since his career began in 2013, starting 42 of 44 games since that season. White has six interceptions and three punt return touchdowns in his career, as he earned SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for moving into a tie for second place in the category, while becoming the first non-offensive player to score touchdowns in the first two games of the season in LSU history.Engram is an integrated marketing communications major with plans to go into broadcast journalism or marketing after his playing career. He is a standout in the Oxford community, showing a special heart for physically and mentally handicappped individuals as a supporter and volunteer with the Scott Center, Northeast Mississippi Regional Center and Special Olympics Mississippi.dddddddddddd He was on the 2015 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team and is a two-time nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Engram tops all tight ends in the nation with 6.1 catches per game and an SEC-best 87.5 receiving yards per outing. He ranks second among tight ends nationally with six touchdown catches. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native has broken the Ole Miss career records in catches (146), yards (2,094) and TDs (13) by a tight end and has already broken his own single-season school record by a tight end with 700 receiving yards and still four regular-season games left.In the classroom, Kelly maintains a 3.01 grade point average as a general studies major with minors in sociology, education and recreation administration. He was a member of the 2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Kelly has participated in two spring break mission trips to Haiti where he and other Rebels have helped the Camp Marie community gain access to clean water and sustainable farming. He regularly makes himself available to fans for autographs and photos, while also speaking with children about the values of a good work ethic and pursuing their dreams. Kelly has broken all kinds of school records since taking over as the Rebels starting quarterback at the beginning of last season. Following last years campaign in which he was Sugar Bowl MVP and broke or tied 14 school records, he once again leads the SEC and ranks top 10 nationally in passing (316.5 yards per game) and total offense (355.1 yards per game). The Buffalo, New York, native has broken Eli Mannings school record by throwing a touchdown pass in 21 straight games and has also established a school record with 12 career 300-yard outings.An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School?, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through December 12. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January.For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.Football 2016 FinalistsZach Banner, Offensive Tackle, University of Southern CaliforniaJake Butt, Tight End, University of MichiganJake Elliott, Place Kicker, MemphisEvan Engram, Tight End, Ole MissJordan Evans, Linebacker, University of OklahomaO.J. Howard, Tight End, The University of AlabamaZay Jones, Wide Receiver, East Carolina UniversityChad Kelly, Quarterback, Ole MissTyler Orlosky, Center, West Virginia UniversityTreDavious White, Defensive Back, LSU ' ' '