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Jose Vidro, a three-time National League All-Star second baseman with the Montreal Expos from 1997 to 2004, says that Montreal baseball fans must continue the fight to restore Major League Baseball to the city. “My message to the fans is to keep pushing and not to lose hope,” Vidro said. “I would love to be a part of the return of baseball to Montreal.” Vidro made his debut at the age of 22 with the Expos on June 8, 1997. One of his rookie season highlights was playing with the likes of Pedro Martinez. “It was a lot of fun to be around Pedro Martinez. The way he went about his business, and the way he treated his teammates, he was a professional. And when he was on the mound, our relievers knew they didn’t even have to put their spikes on. Pedro was going to throw nine innings. His recent Hall of Fame honour is well deserved.” It took Vidro a couple of seasons before he would find his .300 hitting form. He credits Manager Felipe Alou with helping him make the transition to the big leagues. “It was great to have a manager who spoke my language and who loved to help young players. Baseball is a hard game and Felipe made it easier.” In a career that spanned 11-plus seasons with Montreal, Washington and Seattle, some of Vidro’s most bittersweet memories were during the 2003 Expos campaign. On August 28, 2003, the Expos completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies and sat tied atop the wildcard playoff standings. The team was banged up but feeling positive, anxious to take on reinforcements when Major League Baseball rosters expanded on September 1. But the call-ups never came. “Most of our position players had played 140 games or so and we were tired. When we were told that there wouldn’t be any September call-ups, we were in disbelief. We felt betrayed. Our bullpen needed help and we needed fresh legs in the lineup. We really thought that it was going to be our year.” Owned by Major League Baseball, the Expos had a set budget and were not permitted to exceed it in order to add players to the roster for September. With no help on the horizon, and with some of its home games down the stretch played in Puerto Rico, the Expos faded. During the final Expos season in 2004, Vidro signed an extension with the organization, believing that the contract offer meant that the team would remain in Montreal. He went on to play two more seasons with the franchise when it moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005, before being traded to Seattle in 2007 and being released by the Mariners in 2008. When pressed to name the best players he ever played with, Vidro cited Vladimir Guerrero and Felix Hernandez. “My locker was next to Vlad. I learned a lot from him, how to mentally prepare for the game. Vlad never stopped trying to get better.” Vidro was also happy to see Guerrero’s recent assertion that he would prefer to don an Expos cap should he be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the future. “There is no doubt in my mind that Vladimir Guerrero is a Hall of Famer. He put up unbelievable numbers. We are still good friends. I will be there on the day that he gets inducted.” Currently involved in baseball in his native Puerto Rico, Vidro admits that Montreal is still a very special place for him. “I considered Montreal my home and it was a beautiful time in my life. I never got the chance to thank the fans of Montreal. From the bottom of my heart, my family and I thank everyone up there for embracing us as they did. We look forward to returning one day.” .C. -- North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said his team had a "golden" opportunity to help its NCAA tournament chances. . After deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league would consider pulling out of Sochi if something "significant" happens before players arrive, those set to participate are trying not to worry about that scenario. http://www.nuggetsprostore.com/kids-car ... ts-jersey/. The best round belonged to Pat Perez. Tiger Woods didnt come close to claiming either Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open, where the seven-time champion failed to break par in the opening round for first time in his career. . Unfortunately for the Cleveland Cavaliers, James Harden was in the building. . Although Spain could still advance out of the group stage, the game may have signalled the end of the run by a generation of Spanish stars whose quick passing, "tiki-taka" style delighted the world and helped them win the last three major tournaments. Bill OBrien inherited a Penn State program rocked by scandal, on the cusp of crippling sanctions, and staring at a murky future. All he ever really cared about was making the Nittany Lions winners. OBrien succeeded against heavy odds, overcoming a lack of scholarships, a bowl ban, and player defections. He leaves the program on stable ground after bolting Happy Valley for the NFL and the Houston Texans. Penn State planned to act fast to find his successor. "Our anticipation is that well be counting this in a matter of days rather than weeks," Penn State athletic director Dave Joyner said Thursday. OBrien left the Nittany Lions less than two years after replacing Joe Paterno, returning to the NFL to coach the team with the leagues worst record this season. Naturally, Joyner said there has been tremendous interest already in the vacancy, which should be more appetizing than in 2012. A former offensive co-ordinator for the Patriots, OBrien took on perhaps college footballs toughest job in January 2012, joining a school rattled by the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. "I think its a lot more attractive at this point, although we had tremendous interest even in spite of everything two years ago," Joyner said. "From a scholarship standpoint, were going to be very competitive right out of the gate. Watching whats happened here the last two years, if I was a head coach candidate, would make me very excited." Defensive line coach Larry Johnson is interim head coach while the search for a replacement goes on. "Im humbled by the confidence that Penn State has bestowed upon me during this critical time for the football program and honoured to do my part to help Penn State," Johnson said. OBrien will become the third coach in Texans history, following Dom Capers, who led the team from its expansion season in 2002, and Gary Kubiak. OBrien was set to be introduced Friday in Houston. Kubiak took over when Capers was fired after a 2-14 season in 2005. Kubiak went 61-64 and led the Texans to their first two playoff appearances and two AFC South titles before being fired in early December. Houston was expected to contend for the Super Bowl this season, but instead lost nine games by a touchdown or less to end up 2-14. "In your lifetime, you only get certain opportunities so many times," OBrien told reporters at a Houston airport. "This is a great opportunity to work with an owner like Mr. (Bob) McNair and an organization like the Texans. It is a very exciting time for myself and my family." OBrien was proud of his time at Penn State. "They gave me my first opportunity to be a head coach, and Ill alwayys thank them for that," he said.dddddddddddd "Theyre great kids at Penn State; lot of great people there." OBrien was the first major defection this week. Third-team All-American wide receiver Allen Robinson decided Thursday to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft. Robinson set Penn State season records in receptions (97) and yards receiving (1,432) for the second consecutive year. He wrote on Twitter: "It was a honour to wear a penn state uniform for 3 years. I will miss my teammates and coaches, blessed for the opportunity and experience." Robinson at least gave the program three years. OBrien only lasted two. "I believe that Bill OBrien came here with the intent to be here for a long haul," Joyner said. OBrien, who helped lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl for the 2011 season, arrived in Happy Valley after apprenticeships coaching at Brown, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke, followed by five years as an NFL assistant on Bill Belichicks staff. He won games and won over players with a stern look on his face. OBrien did it all in Paternos shadow. Over the course of his 61 years at Penn State, Paterno became not just the face, but the cantankerous soul and benefactor of a school that was transformed from a "cow college" into a top-shelf public university. Joyner said OBrien never seemed affected by the Paterno loyalists who were slow to warm to an outsider running the program. "Bill handled that very well, with grace and style," he said. "I really believe that he loved it here. From the get-go, he looked at himself as a long-termer. But I think a tremendous opportunity came up for him." While some scholarships have been restored, Penn State lacks the full allotment other Big Ten schools -- including new members Rutgers and Maryland -- have at their disposal. As for candidates to replace OBrien, Greg Schiano has Penn State ties and may want to return to college after two forgettable seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While at Rutgers, Schiano was viewed as an Eastern recruiting expert who built the Scarlet Knights into a consistent bowl team by landing players from New Jersey to Miami. Vanderbilts James Franklin and Miami coach Al Golden, a former Penn State captain under Paterno, could both be at the top of the list. Joyner said school ties arent a must for the new coach. "People that have been affiliated with Penn State understand and are part of that great tradition," he said. "Its not a requirement going forward, but its something that will be in the thought process in the selection of the next great football coach at Penn State." ' ' '