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Serena Williams likes to make one thing clear: She is never satisfied, no matter how many matches and tournaments she wins. Bobby Portis Jersey . Driven as ever, Williams won plenty this year. She went 78-4 with 11 titles, including at the French Open and U.S. Open, raising her Grand Slam championship total to 17. She compiled a 34-match winning streak. She earned more than $12 million in prize money, a record for womens tennis. In February, she became the oldest No. 1 in WTA rankings history and never left that perch. Thanks to all of that, Williams was honoured Wednesday as The Associated Press 2013 Female Athlete of the Year. Its the third AP award for Williams, following 2002 and 2009. Only two women have been chosen more often as AP Athlete of the Year since the annual awards were first handed out in 1931. "Whenever I lose, I get more determined, and it gives me something more to work toward," Williams told the AP in an interview shortly before the start of the U.S. Open. "I dont get complacent, and I realize I need to work harder and I need to do better and I want to do better — or I wouldnt keep playing this game." The vote by news organizations was about as lopsided as many of Williams matches this season. She received 55 of 96 votes, while Brittney Griner, a two-time AP Player of the Year in college basketball and the No. 1 pick in Aprils WNBA draft, finished second with 14. Swimmer Missy Franklin was next with 10. The Male Athlete of the Year recipient will be announced Thursday. Williams, who grew up in Compton, Calif., and turned 32 in September, produced the finest womens tennis season in years. According to the WTA: — her .951 winning percentage was the best since Steffi Grafs .977 in 1989; — her 11 titles were the most since Martina Hingis 12 in 1997; — her winning streak was the longest since her sister, Venus, had a 35-match run in 2000. "She just continues to be an inspiration to American tennis," said Gordon Smith, the executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association, which runs the U.S. Open. "Her year this year? Unforgettable." By adding a fifth career U.S. Open championship, and a second French Open title, Williams also moved within one Grand Slam trophy of the 18 apiece won by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. The record is 24 by Margaret Court. Pretty heady company. Evert is one of the only two women with more AP awards than Williams. Evert won four from 1974-80, while Babe Didrikson collected a record six — one for track in 1932, and five for golf from 1945-54. "Serena already has provided significant contributions to taking our sport to the next level. ... She is chasing records and no doubt will break many records before shes finished," WTA Chairman Stacey Allaster said. "That obviously just brings a lot more attention to our sport." Two particular moments in 2013 stuck out to Allaster. One came at Qatar in February, when Williams cried after assuring herself of returning to No. 1 for the first time since 2010, the year the American needed two operations on her right foot and got blood clots in her lungs. "You could see the joy, the tears of joy. It meant so much to her, from everything she had been through, to be able to be back at the top of the sport, a sport that she does truly love," Allaster said. The second moment came during Wimbledon, when Williams joined other women who have been ranked No. 1 at a celebration of the WTAs 40th anniversary. "It was an opportunity to see her in a leadership position. ... She did a remarkable job at speaking on behalf of all those great athletes and speaking to future players," Allaster said. "Theres a little girl, perhaps out there in Compton, who is dreaming of playing on the WTA, and Serena said, Were waiting for you, and we cant wait to meet you." Allan Houston Jersey . As Valanciunas was whistled for a rare technical toward the end of the third quarter - a result of waving his hand at an official after being called for a foul - Lowry pulled the Raptors sophomore aside, corralling him by his jersey and patting him on the back. Damyean Dotson Jersey . -- Thirty years ago, the Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime, a game that remains the highest scoring in NBA history.WASHINGTON REDSKINS Reason for pessimism: There is absolutely no guarantee the RG3 will stay healthy for 16 games. He experienced his second major surgery on the same knee this off-season and if he were to need a third, his career would be threatened. As a quarterback, his greatest asset is his unpredictability. No offence in the NFL had a better run/pass option than the Redskins. And what happens to the read option offence with Alfred Morris? Will the Redskins have to eliminate that to preserve RG3s health? On defence, the Redskins must improve. They were 28th overall and 30th against the pass. Improvement in the secondary is a top priority.         Reason for optimism: The Redskins return 21 of 22 starters on a team that won 10 games and a division title with a rookie quarterback. Having Brian Orakpo back and hopefully Adam Carriker will make a big difference even though the Redskins finished fifth best against the run. And on the opposite side, Morris was the best sixth round draft pick in a long time. Washington had the top rushing offence and no. 5 offence overall. And what offset the defensive inadequacies was a +16 giveaway/takeaway ratio to end the season. Mike Shanahan will adapt and discipline his quarterback. And I am sure Robert Griffin will look at the sidelines as a friend, not a boundary. Also, and this is important, London Fletcher is back for his 16th season. The Redskins are a young team with key veteran players, but the No. 1 leader is Fletcher, To me a very underrated player and a future Hall of Fame candidate. At 510" and 245 pounds he is part Sam Mills and part Ray Lewis. What a career.              Reality: They won the division last year and I think they will win the division again this year. Shanahan is one of the best; he always has good running backs and design. He will have his quarterback play more like a classic pocket QB and I would not be surprised if we saw Kirk Cousins have a package of plays special for him. Prediction: First in the NFC East. DALLAS COWBOYS Reason for pessimism: The Dallas Cowboys were 8-8 last year, 8-8 the year before, and just maybe 8-8 at the end of this year. They set a franchise record for fewest rushing yards in a 16-game schedule and their best running back, DeMarco Murray, has missed nine games due to injury over the last two years. Tony Romo was paid an astronomical amount of money and was overpaid when you think of his limited playoff success. The truth was there was no other quarterback out there so to keep stability along with the recent pay days of Joe Flacco and others, the market was there. So how does he respond? The pressure will be higher than ever before.    Reason for optimism: The Cowboys made some good moves last year. The combination of Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli will make a major difference on defence. It will be simple but effective based on the ability to win one-on-one battles consistently. Last year Dallas lost five starters on defence and by mid-season it showed. Sean Lee can be the next Brian Urlacher at middle linebacker; Bruce Carter just needs to stay healthy. Bill Callahan will call plays this year and that is a good move. Key game decisions at critical moments cost the team games over the last two years but now head coach Jason Garrett can anticipate those moments and make better decisions. If Dallas continues to commit to the running game then Romo wont have to put the ball up 648 times like he did last year. Even though he did, Dallas ended the season sixth in total offence, third in pass offence, and fifth in 3rd down efficiency. All they have to do is improve on the 31st run offence.                    Reality: Tough division with three good teams and a possible surprise team in the Eagles. But in the last two years Dallas just needed one more win to make a playoff appearance. I like all the moves they have made and, after much criticism, Travis Frederick as a No. 1 pick at center may bring stability to a position that has had personal problems for years.                                 Prediction: 2nd in the NFC East. NEW YORK GIANTS Reason for pessimism: I think the Giants have a long way to go. After winning the Super Bowl last yeaar they didnt even make the playoffs. Charlie Ward Jersey. The low point came in Weeks 16 and 17 when they lost 34-0 in Atlanta and 33-14 in Baltimore. Offensively the Giants are good but on defence they finished 31st in total defence, 25th against the pass and 28th against the run. The only positive point was the positive takeaway/giveaway ratio but I credit that to Eli Manning. The Cowboys were 8-8 the last two years, the Giants werent much better at 9-7 the last two years. This years Giants team will be younger, but not necessarily better.                  Reason for optimism: Just like other teams that have a disappointing year, it is back to the basics for Giants football and that means being a tough running team and even tougher run defence team. The combination of power back Andre Brown and speed back David Wilson could be effective once Brown is fully recovered from his leg injury. Another combination, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, has to be effective. A four-man pass rush has a history of success under head coach Tom Coughlin. Another issue is new three linebackers but those changes could be beneficial with three new attitudes. Manning is still one of the best quarterbacks in football and when it comes to classic quarterback skills he is the best in the division. The organization knows and believes that dominance on both sides of the ball, defensive line and offensive line, brings consistent success. The Giants first three picks were an offensive tackle, a defensive tackle, and a defensive end.               Reality: Tough one as the Giants usually have a good year after an "off" year. But the division has improved. Will the Giants create a pass rush and run defence to support three new linebackers?       Prediction: Third in the NFC East. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Reason for pessimism: Some college coaches have done well in the Pros, but the majority not so well. How the Eagles run their systems led by Chip Kelly is one of the most interesting stories of the year. At Oregon his offence was fantastic until they met a more physical football team, like Alabama. It is not so much can Kelly run his offence? Its how are defences going to attack it? Any time someone tries something new it seems to have a life span. The "wildcat” offence has come and gone and so will the read option once quarterbacks begin getting hurt. Can the players master all the formations and movement off of formations and still physically execute plays time and time again? Logic says yes because if college kids can do it then it should be easy at the pro level. But the competition at the pro level is much higher. And what is also odd is that Michael Vick and Nick Foles, the best two Eagles quarterbacks, are opposites in primary ability. Vick is spontaneous and athletic with quarterback skills. Foles is structured and stays in a pocket with quarterback skills. Yet they have to run the same offence? Reason for optimism: The Eagles have talent even with the most recent injuries and distractions. The value of Jason Peters at left tackle and potential of Lane Johnson at right tackle is special. LeSean McCoy, Felix Jones, and Bryce Brown fit a movement offence compared to a power offence of other teams. DeSean Jackson fits, James Casey at tight end fits too. A lot of players are such good athletes that they fit this offence. On defence, the two most important players are two grinders. Fletcher Cox the teams top draft pick from last year, and Isaac Sopoaga have to be good run defenders all season. Both the Giants and Cowboys have "recommitted" to the run game and Washington has Alfred Morris. The NFC East is a tough, physical conference and as much as Philadelphia want speed football you still have to win at the line of scrimmage.                            Reality: Cant see Kelly out-preparing Mike Shanahan, Tom Coughlin or Jason Garrett. This is an experimental year for the Eagles that will be very interesting and entertaining to watch. But when times get tough, and they will, do the Eagles stick to the plan to master the system or change to adapt to the circumstances?            Prediction: Fourth in the NFC East.  ' ' '