Bayern Trupp » because it seems like All-Star point

SOELDEN, Austria -- Bode Miller was back on the World Cup circuit and the cameras were flashing when the American showed up at a sponsors event to preview the Olympic ski season on Thursday. Millers mind, however, was clearly elsewhere. When he left the stage area and moved to the back of the room to greet his wife, pro volleyball player Morgan Miller, and play with his baby boy, Nathaniel, the cameras hadnt caught up to him yet but Millers smile couldnt have been wider. "Theres a lot to World Cup and having your most important people around you is something that has always been important to me," Miller said later. "Before, I had Jake (Serino, a childhood friend) and sometimes family and my Uncle Mike has been a coach. ... But now I have my own family over here and its just the logical sort of step and I feel really, really good about it." Another reason Miller feels good is that the U.S. Ski Team has surrounded him with familiar faces on its coaching staff as the two-time overall World Cup winner and Olympic combined champion returns after taking last season off to let his surgically repaired left knee fully heal. The staff is led by Millers good friend Forest Carey and his uncle Mike Kenney, who has rejoined the team after a yearlong sabbatical. "Theyre just good people to have around for the team, too. It obviously benefits me but for everybody theres a benefit," said Miller, who will ski in Sundays giant slalom on Rettenbach glacier. "Those guys are really knowledgeable, they love the sport and theyve seen success at the highest level." Carey and Kenney were coaches on Millers breakaway personal team when he won his second overall title in 2008. "Its designed to keep Bode inspired and also to keep him accountable," U.S. mens head coach Sasha Rearick said. "Both of those guys do an amazing job." Millers former roommate on the circuit, Erik Schlopy, is an assistant coach on the technical team, and Miller noted a transformation in experience among the staff. "I cant speak highly enough of how far the team has come in the last 17 years since I first made the team," Miller said. "Theres been times where Ive been pretty down, and its been a fun process to be a part of." Of course, it wasnt just the staff whom Miller returned for, or even the Sochi Olympics in February. "Ive been to four (Olympics) before and I dont think one more is going to do much to change anything at this point," Miller said. "I came back because I had the chance to. ... Im doing it because I believe I can do it." Millers family situation -- he had his one-year wedding anniversary this month -- has coincided with an improved physical condition. He lost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) during his year off. All the changes helped Miller avoid thinking about retiring. "Im in a much more healthy place in general," he said. "Just motivation-wise, the balance in the rest of my life -- my fitness, my health, my body. Those are all things that make you want to retire. Right now all of those things are much better than theyve been in the last 10 years. Thats the biggest factor for me." As Miller spoke, scores of European journalists stuck microphones in his face, at one point nearly toppling over a table he was standing in front of. But Miller, who would once run away from such a scene, kept his composure. "You get better at every part of this," he said. "(The media attention) doesnt bother me as much as it used to. I wouldnt say its your skin getting thicker, just maturity does different things to you." Discount Jerseys USA . Minutes after the previously winless Colts got their first win, 27-13 over Tennessee, team vice chairman Bill Polian said the four-time league MVP will not play this season though he has begun throwing to teammates at the team complex. Discount Jerseys .Y. -- AJ Allmendingers journey is almost complete. https://www.discountjerseysonline.com/. -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego. Discount Jerseys Wholesale . Mickelson shot a 2-under 70 after opening with a 77 -- his worst score of the season -- on TPC San Antonios AT&T Oaks Course. Lefty was 11 strokes behind leader Steven Bowditch, the Australian who had a 67 to reach 8-under 136. Discount Jerseys Team .com) - Robert Martin and Josh Hicks combined for more than 300 yards rushing and three touchdowns, as Rutgers rolled past North Carolina, 40-21, in the Quick Lane Bowl.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors are pulling away a bit in the Atlantic Division and will try to put more space in between themselves and another contender when they visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. You can listen to the game live at 7:30pm et on TSN 1050 Toronto. The Raptors have won three in a row and eight of the last 10. They are 12-5 since trading Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings and own a 4 1/2-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets in the Atlantic Division. All three of their recent victories came at the Air Canada Centre, but the Raptors have dropped two in a row on the road. Forgive them the losses, but the opponents were the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat and Toronto fell by a combined 12 points. On Saturday, the Raps ended the homestand with a 116-94 drubbing of the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. "We dont have any right, yet, to overlook anyone," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. "This is a tough league and were still building, were still getting there, so I cant allow our guys to have that in their thought process." Kyle Lowry scored 23 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc to help lead the Raptors. "Hes been playing at an All-Star level," Casey said of Lowry. DeMar DeRozan netted 19 points and Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto, which has won five straight at home. Patrick Patterson and John Salmons scored 18 annd 10 points off the bench, respectively, in the win.dddddddddddd The Celtics have dropped nine in a row, which is the franchises seventh- longest skid. Boston is on its longest slide since a franchise-worst 18-game losing streak back in 2007. The ninth consecutive setback came on Saturday. After the Cs returned from a five-game western swing, the Houston Rockets came to Beantown and left with a 104-92 victory. Avery Bradley poured in 24 points and Jerryd Bayless chipped in with 17. Brandon Bass added 14 and Jordan Crawford managed 13 in what could be one of his final starts. Thats because it seems like All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo is close to a return. "29,233,280 secs," Rondo wrote on his Twitter account Monday, implying the 338-day time frame between his surgery to repair a torn ACL last February and Fridays game between the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens told the media on Tuesday that Rondo will undergo a vigorous workout Wednesday to test his right knee and is a possibility to play in Fridays contest if he comes out of the session OK. "Weve got a day planned, a pretty strenuous day for him, tomorrow," said Stevens. "And then well go from there. "I would think that theres a chance that he will be back for Friday." The Raptors beat the Celtics by six on opening night in Toronto, but theyve lost 10 in a row at TD Bank Garden. ' ' '