COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Southern Conference will keep four league championships in North Carolina despite the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference withdrawing championships because of the state law restricting the rights of LGBT people.The league said it will honor commitments for these tournaments: mens soccer in Greensboro, mens and womens basketball in Asheville and mens golf in Pinehurst.We dont want to punish the local host communities by pulling the championships out of the state this year, Commissioner John Iamarino said Friday. That point did resonate with presidents and chancellors.The league said in a statement its presidents and chancellors reaffirmed their resolute opposition to legislation that discriminates against any individual.Iamarino said his conference was prepared for criticism in light of the NCAA and ACC decisions over the North Carolinas law, which excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from local and statewide antidiscrimination protections. It also requires transgender people to use restrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates.HB2 was signed into law this year by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who has defended it as a commonsense safety and security measure.The Southern Conference is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Its 10 schools -- Citadel, Chattanooga, East Tennessee, Furman, Mercer, UNC Greensboro, Samford, VMI, Western Carolina and Wofford -- are in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.The decision on the championships came after two conference calls among league leaders.While not unanimous, we found enough common ground to get to this point, Iamarino said.He said the league was influenced by the North Carolina host communities, all urging the conference to hold its events as planned. In Asheville, Iamarino said he met with about 30 people, including some from the LGBT community, who promised to fight the HB2 law but wanted the basketball tournaments to remain.Iamarino said the venues involved are privately controlled and the league is confident of there will be an inclusive atmosphere at the events. The mens golf event will be held at Pinehurst Country Club and the basketball at a neutral site in Asheville.The soccer will be played on the Greensboro campus.Earlier this month, the NCAA removed seven championships from North Carolina, including first- and second-round games of the mens basketball tournament scheduled for Greensboro. The ACC soon followed suit, pulling 10 of its championships from the state, including the football title game that was scheduled for Charlotte.The ACC on Thursday relocated the football game to Orlando, Florida.Iamarino said Southern Conference presidents and chancellors will meet in May to see if more action is necessary. He said theres concern similar laws could extend beyond North Carolina.This could be a long-term issue, he said.Iamarino said hes also concerned the schools against keeping the championships in North Carolina might take their own actions, perhaps boycotting the league events played there.Its a real concern, he said. Well continue to communicate and prepare for everything. Cheap Penguins Jerseys Authentic . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. http://www.adidaspenguinsjerseys.com/ . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. Adidas Ron Hainsey Jersey . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots have been pretty fortunate in regards to how their schedule has played out this season.The final four games of the regular season could prove to be their toughest yet, though they may face one or more of them with yet another key player sidelined.New England receiver and Danny Amendola left Sundays 26-10 win over the Rams in the third quarter with an ankle injury, and was later spotted in the tunnel postgame walking on crutches.Should he miss any playing time, it would be the latest blow to a team thats already lost tight end Rob Gronkowski to season-ending back surgery last week. It also creates a hole on special teams, where Amendola also serves as the primary punt returner.Any time you lose a guy like Danny whos another big piece of this team, its terrible, receiver Julian Edelman said. Hes a good leader on this team. He comes in and he makes plays. He catches first downs like its nothing. He makes big plays in the special-teams game. So its gonna be tough.The Patriots will face three teams that currently have winning records over the next four weeks, beginning with a Monday night matchup with the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens and their always stingy defense.The Ravens had no problem dispatching Miami, currently second to New England in the AFC East, in a 38-6 win on Sunday. The victory snapped the Dolphins six-game win streak.Obviously, theyre a good team, Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount said. Right now, weve got to make sure we stay on our Ps and Qs, and cross our Xs and just continue to do what weve got to do to make sure that we continue to win these games.The Rams return home with even more problems to work through on offense after managing just 162 yards of offense.They did not cross midfield in the first half and didnt get inside the Patriots 25 until a 66-yard pass from rookie Jared Goff to Kenny Britt just after the two-minute warning to set up their lone touchdown.The elephant in room is the offense. I get it. Were working hard on it, coach Jeff Fisher said.GOFFS GAFFESFisher says not to blame Goff for the teams offensive struggles. The bigger problem was dropped throws and pass protection.When you hit someone in the chest with the football, youve got to hang on it, even though there is contact involved, Fisher said. He extended plays with his legs; he moved around. ... Jared Goff wasnt the reason we lost this football game today.Goff completed 14 of 32 passes for 161 yards -- 66 of them on a fourth-down throw to Kenny Britt to set up the Rams only touchdown with just under 2 minutes left.dddddddddddd He also had two interceptions, one on a tipped ball and the other when his arm was hit while he was throwing.We tip the ball and they catch it and then they tip a ball and they catch it. You know, thats the difference in the ballgame really, Fisher said.TURNING A CORNER: The Patriots defense may be coming together at the right time. After failing to force a turnover for 44 straight possessions, New Englands defense has four over the past two games.Sometimes you have droughts and lulls, and theres a lot of things that you need: good breaks, defensive end Chris Long said. People outside the locker room may be panicking when we dont get them, but not us. CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Blount rushed 18 times for 88 yards and a touchdown Sunday, leaving him just 43 yards shy of posting his first 1,000-yard season since 2010, when he rushed for 1,007 as a rookie.Blount was placed on injured reserve last December with a hip injury, but said he isnt thinking about that even with a bruising running style that makes him more vulnerable to hits.You cant worry about injuries. You cant worry about last year, he said. Youve just got to worry about what you can control. Injuries -- you cant really control. Youve just got to worry about what you can control.BOOMING KICKSRams punter Johnny Hekker didnt let it go to his head after usually tight-lipped Patriots coach Bill Belichick called him a tremendous weapon, dangerous and as good a player as Ive ever seen at that position.It was cool and a little flattering hearing that from a long-time ball coach, Hekker said Sunday. I would love to have him raving about some other players on our team, because we have guys that are worthy of that kind of stuff. But it is a difficult year for us.Hekker punted eight times for a net average of 52.9 yards on Sunday, including a 76-yarder in the fourth quarter than helped pin the Patriots at their own 5-yard line.Belichicks comments made it all the way to Hekkers parents.It definitely gave them a proud moment, he said. They were able to send them to all of their buddies. They were all pretty excited about it.---AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Black China NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China NFL Jerseys China Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Online ' ' '