Slotmachines » o his most recent conviction. Nonetheless, Cook

RENTON, Wash. - If it seems as if Clay Matthews is omnipresent off the field, well, yeah. No NFL linebacker has a higher profile than the Green Bay star, thanks to his commercials and his flashy persona. If you barely know anything about Bobby Wagner, thats understandable, too. Hes not into snazzy, leaving that to his Legion of Boom teammates in Seattle. On Sunday in the NFC championship game, their performances will go a long way toward determining which team goes to the Super Bowl. And while Matthews may add a touch of the ostentatious, Wagner will do things far more quietly, yet just as fiercely. Indeed, he might be the least-ballyhooed member of this seasons All-Pro team. With Wags, just killer instinct, fellow All-Pro Earl Thomas said Thursday. Some guys just have that nasty streak to him, and I want another guy beside me with killer instincts. He has that, Sherm has that, Kam has that, and that fired-up passion is contagious. Essential, too, for the most feared defence in the league, one that helped the Seahawks win it all last year and has them on the verge of a repeat title — something not accomplished by anyone in a decade. But, consistent with his nature, Wagner doesnt make a big deal of it all. My job is to be in the middle of everything, said the 2012 second-round draft pick from Utah State. Also, the signal caller, making sure everybodys in the right spot, making adjustments when I need to, being as vocal as I possibly can on the field. Of course, Wagner does far more than that. Even though he missed five games with a right foot injury, he still managed at least 104 tackles — he had 140 and 119 the previous two years. When he returned in late November, the Seahawks became immovable again. They didnt allow a fourth-quarter point from Week 12 through the end of the regular season. Its hard to argue that Wagner is the fulcrum of a unit that includes fellow All-Pros Thomas at safety, Richard Sherman at cornerback, and Kam Chancellor intimidating opponents from his safety spot, and a deep, versatile front. But its not impossible to make that case. Wagner wouldnt make it, though. He takes pride in the stinginess of his defence, but sees himself as a cog, nothing more, in that frugality on the scoreboard. Thats what we do, we finish, he said. Whenever a fourth quarter comes around we understand those are when games are won. Thats when big-time players make big-time plays. And thats when the good teams show up. The Packers will show up at CenturyLink Field with a good but not great defence. Indeed, its only consistent playmaker is Matthews, who made his fifth Pro Bowl in six seasons by being a factor at outside and inside linebacker. Matthews has displayed throughout his six pro seasons he is much more than a media star capable of ripping on himself in TV ads. Hes capable of ripping apart offensive schemes, and his value in Green Bay has been increased with how co-ordinator Dom Capers used him in 2014. When Capers began moving Matthews around in the Packers alignments, it caused opponents to guess — something no offence or quarterback is comfortable with. Matthews had 6 1-2 sacks in his final four games and 11 for the season. I think if you look at the change of where we were in Week 8 and the bye week into now, and obviously, statistics will show that were moving in the right direction, Matthews said. Both individually and as a team, as a defence really. So, you know, it seems to be working in the right direction. Obviously, were winning games and Im making plays, so as long as thats happening, were doing something right. Enough right to be in their third conference title game in eight seasons, and enough to complement their high-powered offence led by All-Pro QB Aaron Rodgers. Matthews, who played for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at Southern California — Carroll admits he misjudged Matthews skills there, not starting him until he was a senior — is confident enough to believe Green Bay can do as much shutting down on defence Sunday as can Seattle. With a defence with as many playmakers as they have, and has played as well as they have, you know obviously the onus is going to be on our defence, Matthews said. So we understand that going into it. So obviously were going to be trying our best to limit their big plays, limit the times they score in hopes that we score more. Cheap Nike Shirts . Nikolaos Kounenakis has been hired as an assistant coach, the team announced on Monday. Wholesale Shirts Free Shipping . -- Jonas Hiller is cautiously confident he has kicked his vertigo. http://www.cheapshirtschina.com/.J. -- Tom Coughlin doesnt have many options at halfback for the winless New York Giants. Cheap Shirts From China . Hes just beginning to get similar results. The right-hander struggled after winning the honour in 2008 and 2009, but a retooling of his game has begun to pay off and has the San Francisco Giants thinking about the Lincecum of old. Shirts China Outlet .Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed Thursday that he is part of a group of investors whose offer to buy the 105-year-old Italian club was accepted by the teams board of directors.Matt Cooke still says he is a changed man. Less than a day after the NHL handed the Minnesota Wild forward a seven-game suspension for his knee-on-knee collision with Colorado Avalanche defenceman Tyson Barrie, Cooke reiterated to the media Thursday that he had no intention of hurting his opponent. "It was not my intent to collide knee-to-knee. Meant to finish my check," he said. The suspension has thrust Cooke back into a negative spotlight. From 2004 to 2011, he was suspended five times for a total of 27 games prior to his most recent conviction. Nonetheless, Cooke is adamant that his questionable decisions are a thing of the past. "Since March 20, 2011, Ive been a changed player," he said. "Stats prove Im a changed player.&" Cooke has 48 hours to appeal the decision, first to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.dddddddddddd If Bettman upholds six games or more, Cooke then has seven days to file an appeal to a neutral arbitrator. He has yet to say whether or not he will appeal the ban. If the suspension is not fully served in this years playoffs, it will continue on next season. The Avalanche have a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 on Thursday. Cooke is apologetic for his action and says he is "disappointed" Barrie will miss any time due to injury. However, Avalanche coach Patrick Roy told reporters ealier in the day that the damage has already been done. "(Even if Cooke gets) 10, 15, 20 games, were still playing without Tyson," said Roy. ' ' '