hile to agree. And it takes two to tango -- does anyone want Braun that badly, given his checkered past? And do they have the prospects Stearns would want to add to an already-strong Brewe

The Nigerian mens soccer team didnt show any fatigue from a last-minute trip that brought the players to Brazil just hours before their Rio Olympics opener, beating Japan 5-4 Thursday night.A mix-up at the airport forced Nigeria to make a late flight from Atlanta to Brazil. The team arrived in the jungle city of Manaus about six hours before overcoming jet lag and the heat and humidity in the Amazon city to win a thrilling game.The team faced the uncomfortable situation of spending the day of its debut at the Olympics aboard an airplane on a more than six-hour flight and facing a Japan team that was in Brazil for several days preparing for the contest.There are conflicting reports about how the team ended up in this position.Bunmi Jinadu, founder of United Soccer Africa, disputed reports that the team missed its original flight because of a money issue between the Nigerian government and a charter company. Delta Air Lines cited a communications mix-up that grounded the teams original Friday flight.Jinadu said the problem stemmed from poor planning and coordination on the part of the Nigerian team in leaving Atlanta, where it has been training to prepare for the games. He said the team had assumed it could simply buy plane tickets to Rio at the last minute -- just like Nigerians do in their home country to book travel.They then encountered a crush of travelers and lack of flights at the busy Atlanta airport, where several Brazil-bound trips were originating. The team thought it had a backup plan on Wednesday, but the plane wasnt big enough to accommodate the team, Jinadu said.The flight the team finally boarded was on a chartered Delta jet. A spokesperson for Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said it stepped in to help the team get to its destination -- free of charge -- after learning of the flight issue.The plane normally is used to transport NBA teams, and the same aircraft will fly the U.S. mens basketball team back to the U.S. after the Olympics.Atlanta was the site of Nigerias greatest soccer triumph as it won the gold medal there in the 1996 Olympics.This came to our attention on the 20th anniversary of the Nigerian football teams win at the Atlanta games, said Delta spokesperson Betsy Talton. Everyone was happy to help them with another miracle by getting them to Manaus.Jinadu said the mood remained upbeat among the players as they headed to Brazil at the last minute.Nigeria has tough skin, he said. All the players playing on this team know this is their livelihood and they have been overly anxious to get to Rio.Its not the first time an African soccer team had to make a last-minute flight for a high-profile match in Brazil.In 2014, Cameroons World Cup team refused to board a plane to take them to Brazil because of a dispute over bonus payments for the tournament. Their national soccer federation took out a loan to meet their demands, and the team caught a later flight.Custom Jerseys China . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Cheap Fake Jerseys Free Shipping . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. http://www.jerseyscheapcustom.com/ . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70.With free agency underway, the offseason is about to pick up steam. What are the big questions facing all 30 teams? Weve already covered the AL East, NL East and AL Central and now were moving on to the National League Central.How do the Cubs set up their outfield?2016 record: 103-58Given the free-agent status of closer Aroldis Chapman, many believe the big offseason puzzle for the Chicago Cubs to solve will be their bullpen. But there isnt likely going to be much headline news in that regard. If Chapman gets a big, multiyear offer, hes probably gone, and the Cubs will augment their holdovers with some low-cost, decent-upside arms. Besides, they can win 100 games again with an average bullpen, all while shaping the relief staff for the 2017 playoffs on the fly.The more pressing question centers around Dexter Fowlers free agency. Fowler was an essential cog in the title run and the Cubs dont have an obvious replacement for a leadoff hitter. Yet overall, they can turn Fowlers defensive domain in center field over to Albert Almora. The big question: Is he ready for that gig offensively? Almoras glove is good to go, and the Cubs thought highly enough of his overall game to keep him on the postseason roster.But what if they dont think Almoras bat plays as an everyday guy just yet? Fowler will be 31 by Opening Day and this is likely his last shot at a big, multiyear deal. Knowing that Almora is waiting in the wings, the Cubs are unlikely to commit three or four years to a guy whose numbers are likely to regress. If the market again is a chilly one for Fowler, then maybe the Cubs can scoop him up late in the process as they did last year.Meanwhile, youve got Kyle Schwarber returning to full-time duty, possibly as a catcher/corner outfielder, and Jason Heyward, who can do spot duty in center and is ripe for an offensive regression in a good way. And dont forget about powerhouse corner outfielder Jorge Soler, jack-of-all-trades Ben Zobrist and the solid Matt Szczur. Soler, of course, may turn out to be the Cubs best trade piece -- if not this winter, then possibly during next Julys search for bullpen help.Losing Fowlers leadoff on-base ability would be a blow. But the Cubs know that manager Joe Maddon can get creative with his lineup choices, and they have a number of players whose improvement seems inevitable. So are the in-house holdovers enough? If not, is there a short-term option on the free-agent market that makes sense, like Cubs nemesis Rajai Davis? -- Bradford DoolittleCan the Cardinals close the gap on the Cubs?2016 record: 86-76The St. Louis Cardinals feel like they are at their best when they specialize in run prevention, which is why the teams very style irked some people in management positions last season. Now, their intention is to fix what ailed the teams pitching by focusing on the fielding that failed to support it.What set the world champion Cubs apart in the Central wasnt their lineup. The Cardinals scored nearly as many runs, finishing third in the NL in scoring. While the Cubs shut down other teams offenses with an athletic young infield and sound outfielders, the Cardinals often fueled big innings with plays not made. Fangraphs ranked the Cubs first in defense and the Cardinals 24th.General manager John Mozeliak will look to be aggressive in trade talks to acquire a center fielder so he can shift Randal Grichuk to left field. If that doesnt pan out, or even if it does, he also figures to have some conversations about acquiring a shortstop so Aledmys Diaz can move to second base. The Angels happen to have the best center fielder, if not player, in the game in Mike Trout and a brilliant-fielding shortstop in Andrelton Simmons, so Mozeliak figures at least to have a conversation or two with GM Billy Eppler to find out the asking price -- if there is one -- for either player. The Cardinals are less likely to fix their defense via free agency, though they could have some interest in Dexter Fowler if he can be signed on a relatively short-term deal.Depending how talks go, the Cardinals could have a very different look and feel next spring, and that is by design. ?-- Mark SaxonWhat do the Pirates do with Andrew McCutchen?2016 record: 78-83The Pittsburgh Pirates rotation fell from a 3.53 ERA in 2015, fifth in the NL, to 4.67, 11th in the NL, so they need a healthy Gerrit Cole and big gains from Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow to get back into the playoff race. But the offseason will revolve around McCutchen -- who is signed for two more years -- and whether the five-time All-Star will be in the Pittsburgh outfield in 2017.At the minimum, hes proobably played his last game in center field for the Pirates.dddddddddddd He was charged with minus-28 defensive runs saved last season, the worst of any player at any position. He ranked second worst in ultimate zone rating (UZR), another rating system, so the metrics agree that he no longer has the range to play center. Its time for Starling Marte to take over.The tougher decision: Was his .256/.336/.430 line just a bad season? Did he play through an injury? Is this the beginning of the decline? Top prospect Austin Meadows hit .266/.333/.536 between Double-A and Triple-A, although just .214 in 37 games at Triple-A. If hes deemed ready, that could put McCutchen on the trade market.McCutchens contract -- $14 million in 2017, $14.75 million team option for 2018 - isnt so prohibitive that the Pirates couldnt get a starting pitcher in return. But will teams view 2016 as an aberration or his new level? Dont expect the Pirates to get anything resembling an ace if they do trade him; theres just too much uncertainty here. Yes, trading a fan favorite would be painful, but the Pirates cant afford to be sentimental. Theyll make the decision they deem best for the club. -- David SchoenfieldWhat do the Brewers do with Ryan Braun?2016 record: 73-89Braun had his best season since his suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2013, belting 30 homers in his age-32 season while posting a .903 OPS. It invites questions about whether hes an asset for a busily rebuilding Milwaukee Brewers franchise. While the Brew Crews 73-win season was a nice surprise in the first full year on GM David Stearns watch, its going to be a few years before they can punch their way into the same weight class as the Cubs and Cardinals in the NL Central. So why keep Braun around for their next few seasons of aspirational mediocrity?The problem is that the potential stumbling blocks to a Braun deal are daunting, demanding some extra creativity from the already very creative Stearns. Braun is due at least $80 million over the next four seasons, and $91 million over five if either party exercises a mutual 2021 option. To get the right kind of prospect back in a deal, the Brewers would have to eat a considerable chunk of that contract and make him less of a payroll hit for his new club. Then theres Brauns limited no-trade protection in which he can block deals to 24 teams. In 2016 the happy six-pack he could be peddled to comprised San Francisco, San Diego, both L.A. teams, Arizona and Miami. Thats a list with just one DH-league team for a guy heading deeper into his 30s.Working around all of that to free Stearns to deal with all 30 teams isnt impossible but would involve making it worth Brauns while to agree. And it takes two to tango -- does anyone want Braun that badly, given his checkered past? And do they have the prospects Stearns would want to add to an already-strong Brewers farm system? Thats a lot of ifs to answer, but Brauns potential market value will never be higher than it is right now. -- Christina KahrlWill the Reds trade Joey Votto?2016 record: 68-94In a relatively weak free-agent market, Votto would almost automatically be the most valuable hitter available if the Reds shop him. But thats in present-day value, and Votto is going to be heading into his age-33 season next year. If ever they were going to try and trade him, theres no time like the present.The challenge for GM Dick Williams is coming up with a deal that Votto would agree to given his full no-trade protection, essentially limiting the Reds to Vottos destinations of choice. So if Votto wants to go back to Canada and play for the Blue Jays (and a shot at contention), then its on Williams to come up with a deal, one that also makes sense for Cincinnati. And even then, Votto is signed for $179 million through his age-39 season in 2023 -- does anybody want to make a trade for that big a hit on their payroll?If a team wants Votto, theyre going to have to be very close to winning it all and lacking a first baseman and have strong reasons to prefer trading for Votto over signing a shorter-term deal for someone like Edwin Encarnacion. Thats all possible but far from easy to put together, and it might involve getting a relatively modest package of prospects while kicking in tens of millions of dollars. Is that even worth doing? The Reds already are stuck with a long-term rebuild, a tough sell in any market -- selling their fans on a Votto trade to boot might be mission impossible. -- Christina Kahrl ' ' '