part of the Italian teams driver

MINNEAPOLIS -- Lindsay Whalen hobbled through the regular season last year. She hobbled through the playoffs. She even hobbled through the Minnesota Lynx championship celebration.And so when it came time to head overseas for an 11th straight winter to go cash in on a cant-miss opportunity to make the kind of money that just isnt available to womens basketball players in the United States, Whalen decided she had enough.Her ankle, Achilles tendon and back were telling her to stay home. So were family members who had grown so accustomed to her being gone through the holidays. As her career enters the final few years, she decided to give her body a mental and physical break from the year-round grind she had been doing for so long. And it was one of the best decisions shes ever made.It was hard sometimes. But about a week into training camp I was so thankful, Whalen said. I was so fresh. I felt great. I felt healthy. I felt I was really enjoying everything. Playing for years upon years straight, at times it will be a little much.A rejuvenated Whalen helped push the Lynx to the best record in the WNBA and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, which continue when they host the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the semifinals on Wednesday.Last year at this time, Whalen had missed four straight games in the regular season and was a question mark going into the postseason. She found a way to gut through the pain in her legs, which culminated with the franchises third championship. But at 34 years old, it was time to take a step back.Whalen had played overseas for a decade, often earning $600,000 a year or more in Russia or Turkey. Its life-changing money, and for players with finite careers, it can be difficult to pass up.Ive been juggling this decision for about three years, Lynx guard Seimone Augustus said. More often than not, at the end of the year we start talking to teams overseas about new contracts, and the money is just so good, youre like, `All right I was thinking about taking time off, but ... .It can actually go in reverse. Mercury star Diana Taurasi sat out the entire WNBA season last year at the behest of her team in Russia, which paid her nearly $1.5 million in 2015.They offered to pay me to rest and Ive decided to take them up on it, Taurasi wrote in a letter to Mercury fans at the time. I want to be able to take care of myself and my family when I am done playing.Taurasi returned to the WNBA this season, and also teamed with Whalen, Augustus and Team USA to win gold at the Rio Games. And while the Mercury struggled to find their footing early in the season, they have taken off in the playoffs with wins over Indiana and New York in the first two single-elimination rounds of the tournament, setting up the five-game series with Minnesota that will feature 11 Olympians.The WNBA is the more prestigious league for the players, but the maximum salaries stateside are $111,500. Good money, but not overseas money.She made a very tough decision because making money overseas, opportunities to earn that kind of money once these players are done playing isnt going to be there, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said of Whalen. There is no job theyre going to transition into that is going to pay them $600-700,000. So you cant blame them for wanting to earn that as long as they can.The 32-year-old Augustus said being home with family during the holidays, and seeing how well Whalen has played this year, have her thinking she will finally stay home this winter.Lindsay looks amazing, Augustus said. The quickness, the speed, the agility. Thats how I want to feel coming into next year.The way Whalen sees it, there was no decision to make.My body showed me last year when I wasnt able to play, Whalen said. Thats what showed me when it was time to stop. Each player will have to make that decision when its time to go.Rashan Gary Womens Jersey . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. Jace Sternberger Jersey . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Aaron-Rodgers-Jersey/ . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Brett Favre Youth Jersey . Two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the April 15 race in an area packed with fans cheering the passing runners. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured, including at least 16 who lost limbs. Dave Robinson Jersey .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night.Guenther Steiner says Kevin Magnussen matched all the criteria Haas was looking for in a driver, with the Dane now confirmed at the team for 2017.?On Friday Haas announced Magnussen will partner Romain Grosjean next season, leaving Renault after his return to the grid this season. The Danish driver had turned down an offer to stay at Renault and will instead take the place of Esteban Gutierrez at the American team.?Steiner thinks Magnussens experience with McLaren and Renault will be important for Haas in its second season of Formula One.?We want to grow the team and therefore we wanted some experience of people of drivers that have been on the podium and which have scored points, and Kevin was fitting the bill, Steiner said. We will move forward with him.The move means Haas has opted against keeping Gutierrez, formerly Ferrari reserve driver, at the helm, having already overlooked GP3 leader Charles Leclerc, part of the Italian teams driver academy. However, Steiner insists the relationship with the teams engine and technical partner iis stronger than ever.ddddddddddddNo we have a long standing contract with Ferrari, we continue the business model we are doing, we continue like this for the next few years and then we see what we think but at the moment we are very happy with Ferrari, what they did for us over the year to get us to the point where we are now.We hope we move up next year. For sure you always develop your team and you keep on getting better but in general it stays like that for now.Steiner also paid tribute to the outgoing Gutierrez, praising him for the job he has done in 2016 and saying his scoreless season so far is not a fair reflection of his talent.I would like to take this moment to thank Esteban for what he did with us over this year, I think he has got a good future. He did a good job so whatever people say he is a good driver and he helped us a lot to develop the team from nothing to where we are, so thanks to him. ' ' '