SUNRISE, Fla. -- Michael Yormark resigned as president and CEO of the Florida Panthers on Monday, taking a job with rap mogul Jay Zs Roc Nation and setting off a front-office shake-up for the long-struggling franchise. Yormark said he has accepted a job as president and chief of branding and strategy for Roc Nation, Jay Zs sports agency. The Panthers promoted Rory Babich into the jobs that Yormark had held with the organization, and announced that general manager Dale Tallon was having his responsibilities expanded to also include business operations. "While we are sorry to see Michael leave, he has received an offer for a tremendous opportunity and we are fortunate that we will be able to continue working with him in his new role," said Panthers owner Vincent Viola, who bought the team in September. "Rory has been working with us throughout our acquisition of the team and has been partnering with Michael on the business side and Dale on the hockey side since he joined us." Babich and Tallon also will be alternate governors for the team. "Dale and I, together, will be partnering on all aspects of our business," Babich said. Yormark joined Sunrise Sports and Entertainment as its Chief Operating Officer in September 2003, was promoted to president in August 2007 and then to president and CEO of the team and SSE last September. Yormark said he still believes the Panthers, under Violas leadership, will get to the level the franchise has sought to reach for years. The Panthers have reached the playoffs only once since 2000, and are well out of post-season contention this year. "Roc Nation represents a wonderful new adventure for my family and me, and I am thrilled to join an exciting, innovative organization," Yormark said in a statement released Monday afternoon. "Roc Nation is poised to grow in to one of the most influential companies in the industry and I am looking forward to taking on this new challenge." Babich grew up in the New York area, the son of a sports writer, and said hes loved hockey since childhood. He joined the Panthers after Viola bought the team, and said his role as CEO will simply continue Violas vision to build a winner in South Florida. "Its an exciting time for us," Tallon said. "Rory and I have been together since December. Weve developed a close relationship in a short period of time. ... Were excited about what were going to do, how were going to do this and were going to work together to bring a Stanley Cup to the Panthers and their fans." Roc Nation was founded in 2008, and represents major sports stars as Robinson Cano, Kevin Durant, Victor Cruz and others. . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. . Cesar said the difficulties he went through after the 2010 World Cup helped him become "a better professional" and made him "more focused" on his career. He admitted that he took things for granted before the World Cup in South Africa, when he arrived considered the worlds top goalkeeper.
http://www.texansrookiestore.com/Texans ... ns-Jersey/. Rinehart joins safety Darrell Stuckey and linebacker Donald Butler as potential unrestricted free agents who are remaining with the team. . Still, its a start. Josh Baileys goal with 1:40 left capped a furious third-period rally, and the Islanders edged the Penguins 4-3 on Friday night. .Cullen scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47 of the third period and Nashville beat the slumping Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday in a game that wasnt decided until the last shot of the night.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Ghislaine Landry scored the winning try in extra time Friday to give the Canadian womens sevens rugby team a 10-5 win over France in the third-place game at the Dubai Sevens.Canada controlled much of the possession before Landry, from Toronto, raced the length of the pitch to give Canada the victory. It was the fourth straight time that Canada has finished third at a World Rugby Womens Sevens Series event.Kayla Moleschi of Williams Lake, B.C., scored the other Canadian try late in the first half. New Zealand shaded Australia 19-17 in the championship game.Earlier in the day, Canada whipped the United States 36-0 in the Cup quarter-finals before dropping a 29-7 decision to Australia in the Cup semifinals.Canadian head coach John Tait said hes looking for a more consistent effort going forward.We now need to become clinical against the top sides and not panic and try to recover a score by forcing play were not fully prepared to execute on, said Tait. The onus is on me and the rest of the leadership group to develop ways to get us back on plan when this happens. The teams in the series are much improved and we need everyone to bring their individual excellence into a cohesive attack and defence to get those semifinals and finals wins.The result gives Canada 16 points in the standings and they will now be a top seed at the Brazil Sevens in February. The top four teams at the end of the season will automatically qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics.In mens play, World Series leader Fiji and defending champion New Zealand reached the quarter-finals with unbeaten records Friday while Canada did not qualify for Cup competition.South Africa and Australia swept their pools to advance to the Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. It will be Fiji vs. Wales, Australia vs. Scotland, South Africa vs. Argentina, and New Zealand vs. England, a rematch from the sseries opener at the Gold Coast in October, when England thrashed the Kiwis.ddddddddddddCanada started the day by upsetting Wales 19-14 before dropping a 24-12 decision to South Africa and then falling 26-7 to Portugal.Canada will settle for an appearance in Saturdays Bowl quarter-final against France.Fiji, winner of the Gold Coast title, dispatched France and Brazil, and was pressed by Argentina, which had already qualified.Fernando Luna exploited a Fiji error in front of its posts, scoring a converted try for Argentina to lead 21-19 with four minutes to go. But that was plenty of time, as Semi Kunatani made a big fend en route to a try to regain the lead, and Fiji prevailed 33-21.New Zealand didnt drop a point while also scoring a combined 120 against Japan, Scotland and Samoa.Samoa, the runner-up on the Gold Coast, needed to beat New Zealand for a chance to advance on points difference, but was already three tries down by halftime and lost 41-0. Scotland, which lost to Samoa, advanced instead.South Africa defeated Portugal, Canada, and Wales, the latter by a score of 12-5.Wales received a lifeline when Portugal beat Canada. That left Wales going into its pool finale knowing it could advance with a loss to South Africa by fewer than 21 points. Wales had beaten South Africa only once.South Africa came from behind, but Wales threatened at least a draw in the dying stages. South Africas defended superbly, especially a Cecil Afrika tackle on Craig Price, who couldnt offload to a teammate outside him.Australia conceded an early Dan Norton try, but tied England by halftime, and won 12-5 with the only try of the second half to win its pool and avoid a resurgent New Zealand.England, meanwhile, face the Kiwis with injury worries, after Dan Bibby joined James Rodwell on the sidelines with an apparent shoulder complaint.———With files from The Associated Press. ' ' '
