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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dez Bryant couldnt stop smiling at the luxury watches that are more expensive than some cars, far removed from his days as a troubled rookie facing a lawsuit over unpaid jewelry bills. The Dallas Cowboys were giving their star receiver the fancy timepiece as a reward for being among just four players chosen to attend a news conference announcing a partnership with the Swiss manufacturer Hublot. Bryant beamed for the cameras during Monday nights ritzy event at the $1.2 billion home of the Cowboys, and then offered one more illustration of his transformation. While reiterating that he wants to be paid like a big-time receiver, he wants negotiations to stop before the Sept. 7 opener against San Francisco with or without deal. Why? Because a player who was the king of distractions four years ago doesnt want to be "distracted" once the regular season starts. "I dont want to talk about it anymore," Bryant said. "Put it behind me. I love this game. Either way, I feel like I cant be distracted once Im on the football field." The fifth-year receiver is entering the final year of his rookie contract after Tyron Smith, drafted a year later and one of the teammates joining him for the watch presentation, recently got an eight-year extension that pushed the value of his deal to more than $100 million. Bryant has a base salary of $1.8 million in 2014, and the average of the highest-paid receivers is around $12 million per year. The 25-year-old believes he belongs in that company. "I believe a player should get paid what he deserves," said Bryant, who is tied for the league lead with 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons. "If Im top five, Im top five. If Im top three, Im top three. If Im top two, Im top two." Owner Jerry Jones, not one to offer many details on negotiations, didnt reject Bryants suggestion that there was a "big chance" a deal could be done by the end of next week. Bryants agent, Eugene Parker, didnt return a call seeking comment. "Hes got a good sense of it," Jones said at Mondays event, which was also attended by tight end Jason Witten and running back DeMarco Murray. "He obviously feels in the right circumstances he wants to get something done. We do, too." Bryants tumultuous first two years with the Cowboys included jewelry lawsuits that were settled, a baggy pants incident at an upscale Dallas mall and a domestic disturbance charge over an incident with his mother. Hes also created stirs with a variety of sideline antics. While the sideline shows are more recent, the brushes with the law are now at least two years old. And he says a big contract wont change him. "Im here to take care of my family," says Bryant, who has two young sons. "Thats all I ever wanted to do, is take care of my family. I know how to survive with nothing." NOTES: QB Caleb Hanie was among 11 players waived or released to get the Cowboys to the 75-player limit. S Matt Johnson, who battled chronic hamstring problems after getting drafted in the fourth round in 2012, and LB DeVonte Holloman were among the injured players waived. Doctors told Holloman last week he should quit football because of a neck condition. ... Rookie DE Ben Gardner (shoulder) was placed on season-ending injured reserve, and DT Amobi Okoye will spend the first six weeks of the season on the non-football illness list. . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. .J. -- Freshman Eli Carter scored a career-high 31 points and hit the go-ahead basket in the second overtime as Rutgers rallied to stun No. http://www.airmaxnz.com/. MacLean clocked 8:24.91 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:27.59 set by Brittany Reimer of Victoria at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal. MacLean and Tabitha Baumann of Ottawa -- second in 8:32.37 -- both went under the qualifying standard to be nominated to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific teams. .7 million, one-year contract.The deal, announced Friday, includes a $50,000 performance bonus if the left-hander appears in 60 games. . Long snapper Patrick Mannelly announced Friday that he is retiring after a 16-year-career with the Bears, a span in which he played in a team record 245 games and snapped the ball 2,282 times. SALVADOR, Brazil -- France is striking at the World Cup again, this time in a way the fans back home will approve of. Four years ago to the day, Frances players shamed the nation by going on strike at the last World Cup. On Friday, the team put on a striking attacking display, blowing Switzerland away with a 5-2 win on Friday to take total control of Group E and put themselves in position to avoid a showdown with Lionel Messis Argentina in the next round. "We were all magnificent tonight," said goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, one of only four holdovers from the shambles of Frances last World Cup. "We cant let ourselves get flooded by emotion and must stay calm. But were going to savour this." Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud and winger Mathieu Valbuena alls scored one goal and created another to underline both the newfound team spirit in this team and the lethal versatility in attack. "When you score five goals, its ecstasy," Valbuena said. "It was a great night for us. We hurt them with our quick attacks and with the variety of our play," France coach Didier Deschamps said. Giroud and Blasie Matuidi scored a minute apart and Valbuena added another before halftime. Benzema made up for a first-half penalty miss with a poachers finish in the 67th, and then turned provider for Moussa Sissoko, who made it 5-0 in the 73rd. "Karim is confirming that hes in very, very good form," Deschamps said." Hes in great shape athletically." Switzerland pulled two consolation goals back as Blerim Dzemaili scored with a free kick in the 81st and Granit Xhaka slotted in the second in the 87th. Benzema thought he had scored his second -- and the goal of the night -- but his curling, first-time strike was ruled out because Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers blew his whistle for full time just seconds before the shot. "I didnt hear the whistle," he said. Friday marked the fourth anniversary of Frances infamous World Cup training ground strike four years ago in South Africa, when the players shamed a nation back home. How different things look from 2010. "We have to carry on this way and to keep this strength, this irreproachable team spirit we have," Valbuena said. France has scorred eight goals in two games in the tournament and Benzema could even afford to miss a penalty.dddddddddddd "Its a huge satisfaction within the team but were not going to get carried away," Deschamps said. "We shouldnt think were prettier than we are." Switzerlands demise came rapidly, after centre half Steve Von Bergen came off with blood pouring down from under his left eye after Giroud kicked him in the face in the sixth minute. He was replaced by Philippe Senderos and things went from bad to awful from then on for a makeshift defence against the ferocious pace of Frances breaks from midfield and the slick movement of its interchanging forwards. "They can go very far in this tournament," Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said through a translator. "We have seen Frances potential. They had an explosion of power." Deschamps had dropped midfielder Paul Pogba, who was lucky not to be sent off against Honduras for aiming a wild kick at Wilson Palacios, warning him that he needs to control his temper better. After coming on as a substitute, Pogba sent an exquisite pass with the outside of his right boot that had Senderos kicking at air, and Benzema finished confidently for his third goal of the tournament. The Real Madrid forward then instigated a move and waited for Sissoko to break down the right, serving him with an inch-perfect pass. The Swiss conceded far too easily. Giroud jumped above Behrami from near the back of the penalty area to head powerfully under the crossbar in the 17th minute. Then, Valon Behrami gave the ball away to Benzema, who fed Matuidi sprinting down the left, and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder slotted neatly inside the near post. The Swiss had only one shot on target in the first half, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diving low to keep out Mehmedis drive. Shaqiri picked up the rebound and scuffed a low shot that rolled just wide. That close miss went unpunished by Benzema, who missed from the spot after being tripped by Johan Djourou in the 32nd. Yohan Cabaye hit the crossbar from the rebound. It mattered little as Giroud galloped into space down the left and picked out Valbuena at the back post in the 40th with a classic counterattacking goal. ' ' '