NEW YORK -- The lockout of Major League Soccers referees has ended following an agreement on a five-year labour contract. The Professional Referee Organization, which manages game officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, and the Professional Soccer Referee Association, announced the agreement Thursday. Replacements had been used for the first two weekends of MLS games. The PSRA was certified by the National Labor Relations Board last May to represent referees, assistant referees and fourth officials working MLS games. The sides bargained since July, and the lockout began a day ahead of MLS openers on March 7. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service entered talks, and a tentative agreement was reached Tuesday night that was ratified by the union membership and approved by PROs executive board. "First contracts sometimes pose difficult challenges as the parties seek to define the parameters of a new formal relationship," FMCS acting director Scot L. Beckenbaugh said in a statement. The agreement runs until Jan. 15, 2019. Lucas Middlebrook, a PRSA lawyer, said the deal includes "substantially better" compensation and "a number of non-economic work rule protections such as a just-cause standard for certain disciplinary matters and standardization of fitness testing. "In addition, the officials now have a contract protecting important quality-of-life items such as travel standards, vacation time and advance notice of match assignments," he said in an email. . The Islanders own the fifth pick in the 2014 draft but had until June 1 to decide whether to keep it or defer to 2015. The selection was packaged in the teams deal for Thomas Vanek on October 27, 2013. . Anderson shook off some unusually poor shooting and hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime that carried the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
http://www.cheaprockiesjerseysauthentic ... -jersey.ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. .com) - Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is set to return Tuesday against Nashville after sitting out the past two games because of a minor upper body injury. .The result meant Juventus will spend the winter break three points clear of Roma after the league leader beat Cagliari 3-1 on Thursday.Milan remained seventh ahead of the rest of the weekends fixtures, but was provisionally two points behind third-place Napoli in their duel for the final Champions League spot.OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Owen Daniels have reached agreement on a 1-year contract, pending a physical. The 32-year-old Daniels broke into the league with Houston in 2007 and spent his entire career with the Texans before being cut last month. Daniels rejoins former Houston head coach Gary Kubiak, who became Baltimores offensive co-ordinator during the off-season. Daniels broke his right leg last October and playedd in only five games.dddddddddddd He had 24 catches for 352 yards and five touchdowns. For his career, the 6-foot-3, 249-pounder has 385 catches for 4,617 yards and 29 touchdowns. Baltimore already re-signed tight end Dennis Pitta this off-season and added wide receiver Steve Smith. Along with returning wideout Torrey Smith, the upgraded receiving corps should provide quarterback Joe Flacco with plenty of targets. ' ' '
