Mark McMorris fractured rib is steadily improving, so much so that the gold-medal favourite in Sochi plans to snowboard in a few days to "see how it goes. Wholesake Fake Nike Air Force 1 ." McMorris responded in an email to The Associated Press on Friday that he feels "pretty good" nearly a week after his crash during the Winter X Games slopestyle final. He has a few more days to heal with slopestyle qualifying at the Sochi Games not beginning until Feb. 6. Last weekend, the 20-year-old from Regina caught his snowboard on the lip of a rail and landed hard on the bar, then slid down on his right side before hitting the snow. "I was in a lot of pain and I couldnt breathe," he said in the email. "I just had to get up. I couldnt lay there. I was so disappointed." He made it down the hill that afternoon under his own power and headed to the hospital, where X-rays revealed he had a fractured rib but no other damage. And now McMorris refuses to let the fall derail his Olympic aspirations. "I am really blessed and lucky I get a second chance to try and give it a shot," he said. Asked if his rib might hamper him during competition, McMorris responded: "I cant predict it until I get out there and try." McMorris arrived in Europe early so he could get accustomed to the time difference. He said hes pretty much been "in a stationary place trying to get better. Feeling Ok but my rib is still broken so its not 100 per cent. ... Every day (the rib) gets better and I still have 4 or 5 days before I compete." Sore rib and all, McMorris will still be one of the favourites as slopestyle makes its Olympic debut. He could be the biggest challenger to Shaun White, who will also try to defend his title in the halfpipe. Pressure being the front-runner? "For sure," McMorris said in an interview at Winter X, a few days before his crash. "Whenever youre at the top of the sport, people look to you to keep going. Ive proven time and time again, that I can get the result. "Now, when were talking on an even bigger level, the Olympics, its really put on my shoulders. But everybody feels pressure. You can either take it in a positive or negative way. I try to feed off of it." McMorris doesnt view White so much with a sense of awe, but rather as simply another competitor in a talent-rich field that includes fellow Canadian rider Max Parrot, who won at Winter X with back-to-back triple-cork jumps. In fact, its White whos been doing most of the chasing in this event, because McMorris has been the snowboarder with the innovative tricks. "(White) is another guy youve got to beat," McMorris said in the interview before his crash. "I go to a contest to ride the best I can. Its in the judges hands after that. Thats what everybody does. I dont think its a sport where youre trying to take down any certain person. Youre trying to win a contest and do the best you can do." Fake Shoes For Sale . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. Wholesake Fake Air Jordan 1 .C. - Alberta prop Andrew Tiedemann will captain Canada against Uruguay on Friday, the opening day of competition at the IRB Americas Rugby Championship. https://www.fakeshoes.net/ .That sight softened the blow of what ended up as a 4-3 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.Knowing their teammate was fine after a scary headfirst fall in the opening minute of the game helped calm the Maple Leafs.NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees will need some unproven receivers to emerge this year, and could not help but be encouraged by way rookie Kenny Stills and second-year pro Nick Toon came through against the Raiders. Brees passed for 202 yards and a touchdown while leading five scoring drives, and the Saints survived a sloppy second half for a 28-20 preseason victory over the Oakland Raiders on Friday night. Toon, a fourth-round pick in 2012 who spend his rookie season on injured reserve, started for Marques Colston, who has been getting extra rest because of an off-season foot injury. Stills started at wideout for the second straight game and hauled in Brees lone scoring strike from 16 yards out. "We asked them to do a lot. They were having to think a lot on the move," Brees said. "They did a great job adjusting to that and played w lot of confidence." Brees completed 78 per cent of his passes (14 of 18), including a 56-yarder to Toon, setting up Mark Ingams 2-yard TD run. On his long catch, Toon beat former Saints cornerback Tracy Porter, who later left the game with a right groin injury. Raiders coach Dennis Allen said that was one of eight injuries -- three of them potentially serious -- for Oakland. In addition to Porter, Allen was particularly concerned about offensive tackle John Wetzels knee injury and tight end David Ausberrys shoulder injury. New Orleans new defence under co-ordinator Rob Ryan thrived, sacking Matt Flynn five times in the first half. "Some of it was different looks, some of it was guys getting beat and some of it was we have to recognize the pressure, find the hot receivers and get the ball out," Allen said, noting that Flynn twice did not see receivers open for potentially big plays. "I cant point to one individual aspect and say that was the issue." The Saints (2-0) led 23-0 before the Raiders (1-1) scored on Flynns lone TD pass, an 18-yarder to Denarius Moore, late in the first half. Flynn was 12 of 16 for 124 yards. "The difference between moving the ball and not moving the ball is just so small," Flynn said. "There are just some things we have to clean up. We know we can do a lot better." The Saints finished with seven sacks. One by linebacker Ramon Humber, who was credited with nine tackles, including a fourth-down stop. Fake Jordan. The Saints also registered a safety in the fourth quarter when linebacker Will Herring and numerous teammates swarmed running back Jamize Olawale. Brees, who played most of the first half, was pleased with New Orleans ball control, and the fact that the Saints never punted in the first half, but not with settling for Garrett Hartleys field goals of 53, 31 and 30 yards. "I wish we could have had more points," Brees said. "So theres still work to do." Stills caught four passes for 64 yards, making challenging grabs along the sideline twice, once on his TD. Flynn was back in the stadium where he won a national title with LSU in January 2008. It also was a homecoming of sorts for Allen, a former Saints defensive assistant under Payton for five years. Raiders second-string quarterback Terrelle Pryor completed one of five passes for 9 yards. He also rushed four times for 15 yards. What helped the Raiders make a game of it was poor ball security by New Orleans. Second-year running back Travaris Cadet fumbled twice, resulting in one turnover. Oaklands second touchdown came when defensive end Ryan Robinson recovered Seneca Wallaces fumble, which was forced by David Bass on the 1. Eddy Carmonas 46-yard field goal, which pulled Oakland to 23-17 at the end of the third quarter, was set up by Omar Gaithers interception of Seneca Wallaces tipped pass. "I know it was a preseason game, but we did everything in the second half to allow them a chance to get back in the game," Payton said. "That frustrated me." Wallace, competing with Luke McCown to back up Brees, was three of six passing for 32 yards in five scoreless series. Notes: Allen said other Raiders injuries were: RB Darren McFadden (shoulder), LB Kevin Burnett (knee), CB Joselio Hanson (shoulder), DL Brandon Bair (hamstring) and Carmona (neck, leg). ... The game was the last called by retiring public address announcer Jerry Romig, who has handled those duties since 1969. The 83-year-old signed off by announcing the final score and added, "Its been fun. Good night. Love you." He will be succeeded by his son, Mark in the regular-season opener against Atlanta. ' ' '