miaowang123: Obviously its still new, but were starting to get a good chemistry between

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Dennis Rodman has named a team of former NBA players to participate in an exhibition basketball game in Pyongyang, North Korea. Scarpe Nike Italia . Rodman leads a team that includes former NBA All-Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson, and Vin Baker. Craig Hodges, Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith are on the team, as well. They will play against a top North Korean Senior National team on Jan. 8, marking Kim Jong Uns birthday. Rodman is the highest profile American to meet Kim since the leader inherited power from his father in late 2011. Rodman calls the game his version of "basketball diplomacy." "My previous travels have allowed me to feel the enthusiasm and warmth of fans," Rodman said. "The positive memories and smiles on the faces of the children and families are a testament to the great efforts we have put into fulfilling our mission wherever we go voiding any politics. We are all looking forward to arriving in Pyongyang, meeting the citizens, visiting various charities and using the opportunity to develop new relationships that result in our annual return." Rodman made his latest visit to North Korea shortly before Christmas to train the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Kim. Rodman, known as much for his piercings, tattoos and bad behaviour as he was for basketball, travelled to the secretive state for the first time last February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by New York-based VICE television. Rodman has called Kim a "friend for life." Rodman said his trips would not be affected by the recent execution of Kims uncle. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks, said he was looking forward to the game with Rodman. "ennis and I are total opposites but we work very well together," Smith said. "ennis is one of the few people I know that doesnt just talk but actually lives a culturally diverse life. We have travelled everywhere together so I was not surprised with his first visit to North Korea. "Cultural exchange is about sharing. Sharing ideas and thoughts on education, culture and life." Rodman has been criticized for not talking about North Koreas human rights record, described as one of the worlds worst by activists, the U.S. State Department and North Korean defectors. The defectors have repeatedly testified about the governments alleged use of indiscriminate killings, rapes, beatings and prison camps holding as many as 120,000 people deemed opponents of authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un, the third generation of his family to rule. Scarpe Outlet Italia . MacLean clocked 8:24.91 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:27.59 set by Brittany Reimer of Victoria at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal. MacLean and Tabitha Baumann of Ottawa -- second in 8:32.37 -- both went under the qualifying standard to be nominated to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific teams. Scarpe Nike Outlet .J. -- Pete Carroll said it was the suspension of linebacker Bruce Irvin last spring that finally got the attention of the rest of the Seattle Seahawks that they needed to be taking their commitment to the team more seriously.TORONTO – Among the many stars, fleeting paparazzi and widespread shimmer of the Hollywood scene was sheer anonymity for the former backup goaltender of the Los Angeles Kings. Jonathan Bernier was but a blip on the glitzy California radar, but now in his first season in Toronto, he finds himself squarely in the spotlight. One half of the Leafs standout goaltending tandem, the 25-year-old has raced out to a quick start with the new opportunity, posting a .933 save percentage in his first 10 games. Born 30 minutes outside of Montreal in nearby Laval, Quebec, Bernier knows a thing or two about the intensity and pressures of a furious hockey market. Speaking to the Leaf Report on Thursday afternoon, he detailed his adjustment to life in the spotlight, life with a new team and goalie coach, and starting on a regular basis. What follows is an edited transcript of that conversation. LR: Im wondering what the difference is off the ice in coming to Toronto. Youre coming from a place in L.A. where its not the same intensity as here. Whats that been like, that process of coming to a hockey market per se? BERNIER: Its definitely an adjustment because in L.A., youd be out on the street and no one knows who you are. Even the greatest players, [Anze] Kopitar and Dustin Brown, theyll maybe get recognized once in a while. [But] here, you have a good game, next day you go out for breakfast or whatever and everyones happy for you. People are very respectful and thats the one thing I found right away is theyll come and say congrats or good game, but theyre very respectful and thats a great thing. LR: Did the first time it happened catch you off guard? BERNIER: I heard about it [before I came here]; guys told me about it. And obviously coming from a big city like Montreal as well, I knew how [their players] deal with the fans outside the rink so I was expecting that a little bit. LR: So just going back to L.A., you could go out to dinner and walk down the street and just nothing? BERNIER: Nothing. Id say after the Cup [in 2012], people kind of knew who we were [in the area] where we lived, but if wed go downtown or Hollywood, theres no chance. LR: So whats the strangest thing that someones said to you here? BERNIER: I havent got any good stories yet (laughs). LR: Do you like the change? BERNIER: Yeah, its a good change. I think it keeps you focused on hockey. You dont want to have a bad game because then the next day, youre going to hear about it (laughs). LR: You understand the market in Montreal, how do you think the two are similar? BERNIER: I think theyre very similar. The [cities are] both supporting the team. I think for me though speaking French and being in Montreal, I think itd be a lot harder just because you have two sessions of media pretty much (laughs). LR: When a player comes to this kind of market, what are the adjustments required just to be ready for that kind of stuff? BERNIER: I found there is pressure, but pressure, you put that on yourself. If you dont really focus on whats going on on TV and radio and internet, I dont find [that it adds pressure]. Maybe [thats] because right now were having success – we have a good record – but maybe if it would be the opposite, maybe Id say a differentt thing. Air Max 720 Scontate Outlet. But so far I havent found that its that hard. Like I said, you just put pressure on yourself so its all about how much pressure you want to put on you. LR: Well, I would imagine it doesnt really change your focus. Your focus would have to be the same regardless. BERNIER: Yeah, exactly. I think even in L.A., among the guys, we were putting that much pressure on ourselves and the GM and coaches. Its kind of the same way here. We try to stay away from the media pressure and just focus on ourselves and our team and just make sure were ready every game. LR: You told me last week about the focus thats required mentally playing more often. Has it helped? Does it help you be a better goalie when you know youre playing more often? BERNIER: You mean from the pressure? LR: No, just in terms of your preparation in being ready to play. I would imagine in some situations in L.A., its difficult when you go a couple weeks and you havent played and youve got to get back in there and play well. Has it been like you thought it would be? BERNIER: I think its easier mentally just because the reason is youre happy and you dont get off into negative thoughts and things like that. So I think if you stay positive and just keep working hard, then youre having fun. I think as a hockey player or any sport, if youre having fun, usually youll have success. I think that was the thing in L.A.; sometimes I was getting frustrated in not playing. But at the same time, here, its fun. We have a great group of guys, were winning right now and its a big snowball. LR: And I can imagine the worst thing is if you had an off-night and you dont get to start for a while its just got to burn you? BERNIER: Yeah. And thats something that I had to learn my first year is not to worry about the result of the game, more focusing on my game. Because then you start worrying if you dont win, then youre not going to play for another two, three weeks and you have to think about that loss. I think I got better [at that] as the years went along. That was something I was really focusing on was just focusing on myself and not the result. LR: Has there been any adjustment working with a different goalie coach? Has he changed things? BERNIER: No. Rick [St. Croix] is really good. Hell just try to give me some tools, but at the same time, its not something that hes going to say you have to do this. Hes just going to let me know hey if you want to do this in a game or in practice, work on that and if you feel comfortable do it. But the one thing I really like is I think he watched a lot of video and probably heard about my style and he adjusted to that. He knows when I feel comfortable with my depth and things like that. Obviously its still new, but were starting to get a good chemistry between him and I. LR: So is that your depth in the net? BERNIER: That was just an example. It can be how I played the puck, make quicker decisions or things like that. But I can tell that he watched video and saw when I was on my game what I was doing right. LR: And thats what James [Reimer] told me, I remember last year, that Ricks not the kind of guy whos going to say you have to do this, hes going to look at what you do and say we can do this. BERNIER: Exactly. ' ' '