also has added veterans Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov on hefty free-agent contracts while agreeing to new contraacts for restricted free agents Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black.dddddddddddd Calderon w

The upcoming bowl games provide the Southeastern Conference a chance at redemption.A league that prides itself as the nations strongest has only one team -- No. 1 Alabama -- ranked higher than 17th in the Top 25 . The SEC went just 6-8 in nonconference games against other Power Five teams during the regular season, including a 3-6 mark against the Atlantic Coast Conference.With 12 of its 14 members playing in bowl games, this is a chance for the SEC to restore its reputation.We are the SEC, and obviously we have a higher benchmark than other conferences out there, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. People expect certain things out of the SEC.Although the bowl season starts Dec. 17, SEC teams wont get involved until Dec. 26, when Mississippi State faces Miami (Ohio) in the St. Petersburg Bowl and Vanderbilt meets North Carolina State in the Independence Bowl .The SEC would love to see this years bowls turn out as well for the league as last years postseason.One year ago, the SEC encountered similar criticism after only one of its members -- Alabama, again -- was ranked in the top 15 at the end of the regular season. Before 2015, the last time the SEC had only one top-15 team was in the final poll of the 2000 season.The SEC bounced back last year by going 9-2 in bowl games, including Alabamas victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game. The SEC set an NCAA record for bowl victories in a season.I think bowl games are a big indicator of conference strength, Tennessee defensive end LaTroy Lewis said. Last year everybody scrutinized the SEC, and we had great success in the bowl games.The SEC isnt the only conferences have much at stake this postseason.The Big 12 has an opportunity to prove its worth in lesser bowl games after getting left out of the playoff for the second time in three years. The Big Ten wants to solidify a banner year as it enters the postseason with four teams ranked eighth or higher. The ACC heads into bowl season with its highest nonconference winning percentage (.750) since 1990.But theres particular pressure on the SEC due to its status as the nations premier conference for the last decade. SEC teams have won eight of the last 10 national championships.I would remind and caution everyone that youre judging us against the standard which we set, and we set that standard over 10 years -- actually probably 12 years -- in a continuing manner, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last week when he was asked about the leagues relative struggles this season. Weve got one year that well talk about and well analyze, but our expectations for excellence dont change at all.Even in whats considered a disappointing season, the SEC still has gone 42-12 in nonconference games and owns the highest nonconference winning percentage (.778) of any league. The SEC hadnt lost as many as 12 nonconference games in a season since going 31-15 in nonconference play in 2003, and it hasnt finished a season with nonconference winning percentage below .800 since 2008.Another stellar bowl performance could quiet the SECs critics, but the league faces a tougher road in this years postseason.SEC teams were favored in nine of their 11 bowl games last year, including the playoff championship game. The favorite won each of the 11 postseason games involving SEC teams.The SEC is dealing with tougher matchups this time. SEC teams are favored in six of their 12 bowl games and are underdogs in five other bowls. The Georgia-TCU Liberty Bowl is rated as a toss-up.SEC coaches have defended the conference by citing the depth that has allowed the league to have 12 bowl representatives, though that includes two 6-6 teams (South Carolina and Vanderbilt) and one 5-7 squad (Mississippi State). Tennessee coach Butch Jones noted the week-to-week grind of playing in this league and said if youre not at your best, youre going to get beat.Its still the most competitive, toughest football conference in the country, Jones said.The bowl season offers the SEC one last chance to back up that statement.---AP freelance writer Chip Cirillo in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee Matt Szczur Diamondbacks Jersey .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Robbie Ray Diamondbacks Jersey .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-robbie-ray-jersey/ . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Taijuan Walker Diamondbacks 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. David Peralta Diamondbacks Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . LOS ANGELES -- A person familiar with the negotiations says the Los Angeles Lakers are getting Spanish guard Jose Calderon and two second-round draft picks in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, who are clearing salary cap space to sign Dwyane Wade.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade hadnt been announced.Los Angeles will give up the rights to a player not currently in the NBA for Calderon, who averaged 7.6 points and 4.2 assists last season with the New York Knicks. The point guard was traded to Chicago two weeks ago.The 34-year-old Calderon will be another veteran presence around the young Lakers, who are rebuilding after the worst season in franchise history.Los Angeles also has added veterans Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov on hefty free-agent contracts while agreeing to new contraacts for restricted free agents Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black.dddddddddddd Calderon will make $7.7 million next season in the final year of his contract.Calderon is an 11-year NBA veteran who spent the last two years with New York. Calderon played most of his career in Toronto, but showed last year that he still has a 3-point shooting touch and strong passing skills. He is also an exceptional free throw shooter.He could join a stocked backcourt in Los Angeles currently including point guard DAngelo Russell, Clarkson and veteran Lou Williams. Nick Young and Marcelo Huertas also are tied to the Lakers, but their futures are in question.The Lakers are the fifth NBA team for Calderon, who will turn 35 in September. ' ' '