Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork. Authentic Jordy Nelson Jersey .com) - The Chicago Cubs formally ushered in another new era by introducing former Tampa Bay Rays skipper Joe Maddon as their new manager on Monday. The team also announced that Maddon agreed to a five-year contract in which financial terms were not disclosed, though ESPN reported the deal to be worth $25 million and includes incentives tied to making the postseason. The Cubs moved quickly to obtain Maddons services after the two-time American League Manager of the Year opted out of his contract with the Rays on Oct. 24, shortly after Tampa Bay general manager Andrew Friedman left the organization to become the president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maddon, who guided the small-market Rays to four playoff appearances and the 2008 AL pennant over the past seven seasons, joins a long-suffering Cubs franchise that has endured five consecutive losing campaigns and last won the World Series in 1908. This is a 1-in-107 a year opportunity for me, said Maddon during Mondays press conference. The challenge is so outstanding. How could you not want to be in this seat? The Cubs future appeared bright even before the hiring of the enthusiastic and ever-optimistic Maddon, though. Chicagos present farm system is ranked among baseballs strongest and the Cubs are expected to be significant players in free agency this offseason, something Maddon never experienced during his successful nine-year run with the low-budget Rays. Those factors, coupled with Friedmans departure and the presence of Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein -- who nearly hired Maddon as the Red Sox manager in 2004 while then Bostons GM -- played a role in Maddons decision. I knew there was a lot of common ground philosophically, said Maddon. I know that the synergy between the front office and the manager is really, really important. This is a really good fit for me personally. I feel very comfortable here. The 60-year-old takes over a Cubs team that showed improvement in Rick Renterias lone season as manager, with Chicago posting a 73-89 record in 2014 after winning 66 and 61 games the previous two years. Despite those strides, Epstein informed Renteria last week of his intention to pursue Maddon and make a switch. Renteria was offered another position within the organization but predictably declined. Even though they annually operated with one of the lowest payrolls in the majors, the Rays were a consistent contender for much of Maddons reign. Lauded for his ability to work with young players and to maximize the available talent on hand, the charismatic manager guided Tampa to six consecutive winning seasons that began with the unexpected 2008 World Series run. Joe is a combination of just about everything we look for in a manager, said Epstein. Everyone associates him with new-school because theyve used analytics in Tampa and hes so open-minded and so progressive. But this is an old-school baseball guy with a wealth of knowledge. Its hard to find old- school and new-school in the same package. The Rays, who had never won over 70 games in their first 10 seasons prior to that 2008 breakthrough, also reached the playoffs in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Maddon amassed a 754-705 overall record in Tampa Bay, easily the most of any manager in club history. Authentic Marcus Gilchrist Jersey .The third-seeded Murray, who won here in 2009, will face seventh-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa next on the indoor hard court. Authentic Kelechi Osemele Jersey .com) - Intrastate rivals collide Saturday as the Texas State Bobcats hit the road to take on the eighth-ranked Texas Longhorns in a non-conference battle at Frank Erwin Center. http://www.cheapraidersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-shilique-calhoun-jersey . The matchup will be made up in Minnesota at a later date. The arena was evacuated about 45 minutes before the scheduled 9:30 p.m. EST tipoff when a generator malfunction outside the arena sent smoke pouring into the building, according to NBA spokeswoman Sharon Lima.Scott Flory isnt looking to break the bank. The new president of the CFL Players Association said Tuesday all the union wants is a fair deal with the league. The two sides are scheduled to resume talks next week on a new collective bargaining agreement. The present deal is set to expire May 30. "All we want is a fair agreement," Flory said in a telephone interview. "We understand the league . . . players just want a fair share." These are indeed heady times for the CFL. The league has a new contract extension with athletic apparel giant Reebok. One of its teams (Winnipeg) moved into a new stadium last season and another (Hamilton) is scheduled to do so this year, the same time expansion Ottawa returns and plays at a refurbished facility. Attendance continues to rise and corporate sponsorships remain strong. And then theres the CFLs lucrative television agreement with TSN reportedly worth $43 million annually thats scheduled to kick in this year. CFL commissioner Mark Cohon has repeatedly stated he never discusses CBA negotiations in public. But on Monday he said in a statement the league is committed to "working towards a fair and reasonable agreement with our players. We want to be fair to them and keep our league on the path to being strong as well as stable." Money will undoubtedly be a hot-button topic when talks resume. The new TV deal alone is more than 2 1/2 times the previous agreement, which was worth $15 million annually. Subsequently, CFL teams can expect more money from the leagues head office. Negotiations between the league and its players have traditionally been amicable. However, theres a persistent belief this time around players will dig in their heels in order to get what they believe is a fair piece of the financial pie. Theres been one strike since the formation of the CFLPA in 1965. It came in 74 and lasted three weeks during training camp before a three-year agreement was signed with no regular-season games lost. Flory reiterated Tuesday that CFL players wont play under terms of the existing CBA. While Flory didnt say so specifically, that suggests training camps wont open in June without a new deal in place. "Theres a lot more things than the financial," Flory said. "Theres player safety, transitioning and pension items that we want to look at as well. "This is an all-encompassing negotiation but there is a lot of growth going on in the league." And, Flory said, much of that growth is due to the quality of the on-field product. "The players lay it all on the line week in and week out, game in and game out for not very much," he said. "They are the most accessible members in the community, they are at charity events and speaking events, guys are everywhere and they deserve a fair share of whats gone on in the success of the league. "There is more people in the stadiums to watch the games. Theres more people watching on TV to watch the players play and I think thats important." Also worth noting is both sides have a lot riding on these negotiations. If a new agreement cant be reached and a work stoppage ensues, the lleague wouldnt receive any television money. Authentic Lyle Alzado Jersey. Conversely, the players wouldnt be paid either. "I cant and will not speak to that," Flory said when asked about a work stoppage. "We are always willing to meet with the league . . . we want to continue talks and we want to work towards a new collective agreement, there is no doubt about that." Calgary Stampeders fullback Rob Cote echoed those sentiments. "Every single one of us loves football and wants to play in June," said the product of Cochrane, Alta. "That is first and foremost. "Its a negotiation. Negotiations start slow and they usually speed up when you (have) a deadline. People tend to procrastinate when theyre negotiating, as Im sure everybody here is aware of. We all want to get a good, fair deal done and were looking forward to playing." For Stampeders president Gord Norrie, its business as usual. "Were just plodding along like were going to play football and keeping very optimistic," he said. The six-foot-four, 300-pound Flory replaces former CFL player Mike Morreale as union president. Florys election certainly raised questions about why the union membership would change its leadership heading into a new round of talks with the league. "I am not going to get into conspiracy theories or innuendo," Flory said politely. "This is a natural course of business that weve done as a players association for the last 40 years . . . I was very fortunate and humbled to be elected president and thats it." Flory, 37, is well versed in CFLPA business. The Regina native served as an Alouettes player rep for eight years and spent the last four seasons on the unions executive. "I became involved early as a player rep because I wanted to learn the business of the sport," he said. "We play under the rules on the field and I think its as important, or more important, to know the rules surrounding the game off the field. "I see it (being voted president) as a natural evolution. Its something I wanted to do to serve the players as best I could." Flory couldnt provide an answer when asked what kind of negotiator he is. His mandate at the bargaining table, though, is crystal clear. "At the end of the day, how I see my role is Im enacting the will of the people," he said. "Every player in this league who pays dues is my boss and I will do my best to represent them. "They are going to give us our marching orders and were going to execute it. The players are the game . . . Im passionate about the cause of the players," However, the question remains whether Flory, a three-time Grey Cup champion and nine-time league all-star, can continue to play while being CFLPA president. The last three union presidents — Dan Ferrone, Stu Laird and Morreale — all assumed the job following their playing careers. "Thats a good question," said Flory, twice named the CFLs outstanding lineman. "Ive already talked to (Alouettes GM) Jim Popp as to my role moving forward and hope to have an announcement by the end of next week." ' ' '