Dein erstes Forum » between first baseman Freddie Freeman and

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The expectations at Kansas begin with conference championships.They hardly end there.The Jayhawks have rattled off a dozen of those in a row, and Big 12 coaches unanimously predicted Thursday that they will add another to the streak this season. But they havent been to the Final Four since 2012, an eternity for a blue-blood program like Kansas, and are seeking their first national championship since 2008.Those are the expectations now.Any team Ive played on has always had high expectations, said five-star recruit Josh Jackson, perhaps the leading candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in next years NBA draft. And I love to win, so Im always going to have high expectations for myself and my teammates.Just how high? How about a perfect record to go along with that national championship.Were not predicting a 40-0 season, thats just what were striving for. Thats what were trying to get to, Jackson explained. If you dont believe it, youll never get to it. That is what every team is shooting for. You dont want to lose. I dont think any team wants to lose this year.Kansas coach Bill Self shook his head at the thought of a perfect record, especially considering a non-conference schedule that includes Indiana in Hawaii followed by Duke in New York -- four days apart.But he also believes the Jayhawks have a legitimate chance to compete for a national title.Young kids havent been through it enough. They dont know how hard it is to win in Ames or Morgantown or other places, Self said during the programs annual media day. But I will say this: I really think this teams goal when they play that night, their goal should be to win every game. I dont think thats an unrealistic goal.There are plenty of reasons for such optimism.Start with the returning one-two guard combination in Frank Mason and Devonte Graham that gives Kansas perhaps the best backcourt in college basketball, then throw in another returning starter in big man Landen Lucas who can provide some leadership to the frontcourt.Now, blend in returning role players Carlton Bragg, Svi Mykhailiuk and Lagerald Vick, and the loss of veteran stalwart Perry Ellis and slashing scorer Wayne Selden Jr. is a bit more palatable.Finally, add Jackson and fellow five-star recruit Udoka Azubuike to the mix.I do think having old guys who can teach young guys, and having talented young guys in every respect, and having an unknown X-factor that can take you to a place you werent capable of going the year before is the right combination, Self said, and I think we have that.The X-factor is Jackson, who arrived carrying all the plaudits that accompanied previous one-and-dones such as Josh Selby and Andrew Wiggins. But there are some very real differences in the 6-8 forward and his predecessors, including his demeanor when hes on the court.Its not that Selby and Wiggins didnt want to win. Its just that it seems Jackson wants it more.Honestly, being in practice around Coach Self, he knows that Im kind of a special player, Jackson said, and he still never takes it easy on me. He never kisses me on my butt. Hes really hard on me and sometimes I think I need that.Bragg acknowledged he didnt know much about the tradition of Kansas before joining the program prior to last season. But he quickly learned about the great players to come before him, the tradition of winning laid out by Wilt Chamberlain and others going back decades.He needs to only gaze to the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse for a reminder.It starts to come to you, he said.Bragg also understands the weight that comes with that history. The expectations of winning the Big 12 title, which would be reasonable at just about any other school, are no longer enough.You could say that, the sophomore forward said, but everybody has a team goal and our team goal is to try to win a national championship. Until then, we just have to work hard toward it.Cheap Vapormax 2 . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Cheap Vapormax 2020 . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-3-clearance.html .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Cheap Vapormax 2019 China . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Wholesale Vapormax 97 . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak.ATLANTA -- Matt Kemp once believed hed spend his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Now that hes been traded twice in 19 months, Kemp is just excited somebody still wants him. He debuted Tuesday night for the Atlanta Braves, batting cleanup and playing left field three days after being acquired from San Diego.I never, ever thought I was going to be traded, Kemp said before the game. I always thought I was going to be with the Dodgers.Kemp wrote Monday for The Players Tribune that the Braves were his favorite team as a kid. He mentioned some of the rocky times he had with the Dodgers, when his attitude suffered.Speaking with several reporters before Tuesdays game, Kemp indicated that he wanted to pre-empt notions that hes not a team player.Its stuff thats out there, not all stuff that I agree with, he said. I dont want people here to wonder about me as a person. Im here to be a good teammate and to help lead these guys in the right direction. Im excited about this new journey.The Braves traded troubled outfielder Hector Olivera for $10.5 million and Kemp, who is earning $21.5 million this season and will make the same salary in each of the next three years.Kemp received loud cheers, with several hundred fans giving him a standing ovation, as he was introduced before his first at-bat in the first inning. He flied out.Kemp met with interim manager Brian Snitker a few hours before the game. Snitker wanted to assure his new slugger that the Braves are excited to have him under contract through the 2019 season.Atlanta has the worst overall record and the worst home mark in the major leagues.Ticket sales have plummeted. The teams marketing department offered a three-night special through Thursday -- two outfield tickets for $7. Kemps jersey number is 27.Under president of baseball operations John Hart and general manager John Coppolella, the franchise started a major rebuilding project about the same time the Dodgers deaalt Kemp to San Diego before the 2015 season.dddddddddddd.In recent years, the Braves have traded Craig Kimbrel, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Evan Gattis, Andrelton Simmons, Melvin Upton Jr. and Shelby Miller, and let Brian McCann leave as a free agent.The only everyday player they brought in was right fielder Nick Markakis as a free agent, but the goal was to acquire prospects.Atlanta is excited about the arrival of shortstop Dansby Swanson, a former No. 1 overall draft pick acquired in the Miller deal, second baseman Ozzie Albies and several young pitchers as it moves into a new ballpark a few miles north of Turner Field next year.Getting Kemp makes the team feel more legitimate.Its like we told him -- `Were trying to do something big here. Were in the infancy stages of it and we really want you to be a part of it, Snitker said. I think he can be.Snitker batted Kemp between first baseman Freddie Freeman and Markakis. That trio might not sound like much to contending teams, but Kemps arrival is considered a big upgrade for Atlanta, which ranks last in the majors in runs and homers.Itll help Nick, Snitker said. Itll help Freddie. It helps everybody when you get a guy like that, as weve seen over the course of time. When one of those guys gets going, it kind of relaxes everyone else and doesnt make them feel like they have to do too much.In 254 games with San Diego, Kemp hit .264 -- 28 points lower than his nine-year batting average for the Dodgers -- with 46 homers, 169 RBI and 247 strikeouts.Its a beautiful city; its a beautiful place to be, Kemp said of San Diego. They treated me well.Now, Kemp says hes all-in with the Braves.I dont think the East Coast really knows that much about me, Kemp said. This is my introduction to them and to let them know what Im willing to do for this organization. ' ' '