Gäste Forum » me in a great position to make plays, McKinney said

BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty kick but scored three times to restore his touch and help Real Madrid increase its lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.Ronaldo could have scored a fourth in Madrids 4-1 win at Alaves if not for goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco, who saved his spot kick.Madrids win ensured it stayed two points ahead of Barcelona after the defending champion moved into second place with a 1-0 win over bottom-side Granada. Atletico Madrid also won to move into third after overtaking a Sevilla side that was the only top team to stumble.Ronaldos first multi-goal performance of the season for Madrid was his club record 31st hat trick in La Liga. And it came just when voices in the Spanish capital were wondering if Ronaldos 31 years were finally catching up with him.(Ronaldo) is patient and is showing it on the pitch, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. Im very happy with his performance. We are always going to ask him for goals, but he was very good in every facet today.Ronaldo got his hat trick following his worst start to a season since his debut campaign at Madrid in 2009. Before Saturday, he scored only four times in nine matches, twice in the league and twice in the Champions League. By comparison, Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has struck 14 times in this campaign.An early goal by Deyverson gave the home fans hope that newly promoted Alaves could add a win over Madrid to an impressive list of results, which include a shock victory at Barcelona and a draw at Atletico Madrid.But Ronaldo leveled the score 10 minutes later from the penalty spot after Deyverson appeared to use his arm inside the area to block Gareth Bales free kick. Ronaldo sent Pacheco the other way before firing home.Ronaldo put Madrid in front shortly after with a vicious strike that deflected off a defender before looping over an outstretched Pacheco.With Madrid hurt by an injury to defender Pepe that forced him to be substituted, Alaves didnt roll over, and goalie Keylor Navas had to deny Victor Camarasa and Deyverson to protect the visitors advantage.After Pacheco blocked Ronaldos spot kick, Marcelo set up both substitute Alvaro Morata and Ronaldo to score in the final minutes.Ronaldo lives to score, Marcelo said. Hes happy today, but more so for the three points than his goals.BARCELONA 1, GRANADA 0With Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez having a subdued night, Barcelona needed another goal from midfielder Rafinha in its 1,500th match at Camp Nou to see off the leagues worst team.Rafinha netted his fifth goal of the season with a bicycle kick to fire in a ball that Neymar sent off the post in the 58th.Barcelona failed to create many more chances, apparently eyeing Tuesdays Champions League visit to Manchester City to face former coach Pep Guardiola.That wasnt our most brilliant game, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said. We lacked sharpness and it didnt come easy, but the win was never in danger.ATLETICO MADRID 4, MALAGA 2Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro each scored twice to lead Atletico Madrid to another commanding win. Atletico is ahead of Sevilla on goal difference, and three points behind Real Madrid.Gameiros second goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime came from an excellent headed pass by Antoine Griezmann.But Carrasco topped that effort with a scorching solo goal struck from the edge of the area after a long sprint that sealed the win in fine style.Both teams finished with 10 men after Atleticos Stefan Savic and Malagas Gonzalo Castro earned two bookings each.SPORTING GIJON 1, SEVILLA 1Jorge Sampaolis Sevilla endured its first non-win in five matches across all competitions. Luciano Vietto scored on the break to give Sevilla the lead four minutes into the away match, but Moi Gomez volleyed in the equalizer soon after. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Jrue Holiday Pelicans Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Jrue-Holiday-Pelicans-Jersey/ . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. ETwaun Moore Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Custom New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. HOUSTON -- Benardrick McKinney is often overshadowed on a Houston defense filled with first-round picks.But this season its been hard to ignore the work of the linebacker, who leads the team and is tied for sixth in the NFL with 101 tackles, helping the defense remain the strongest part of the team despite the loss of J.J. Watt.McKinney is in his second year in Houston after the Texans drafted him from Mississippi State in the second round. He had a solid rookie season, appearing in 14 games with 11 starts and finishing with 63 tackles.This year he moved into a full-time role as starter and has thrived. He has four games with 10 or more tackles, including a career-high 16 against New England in Week 3. He also has four sacks to be the only player in the NFL this year -- and just the third player in franchise history -- with at least 100 tackles and four sacks in a season.He started last year growing and developing toward the last part of the season, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. He understood the defense. He understood how he has to play the game and puts himself in good position. He gets around the ball quite a bit.McKinney , who had 12 tackles last week against San Diego, believes his improvement this season is simply a product of him being more comfortable.Last year I was too worried about messing up and stuff ... it comes easy now, he said. When you understand the defense you dont have to think a lot, just go out there and play.That understanding has been helped by his relationship with linebackers coach Mike Vrabel, who had a distinguished 14-year NFL career and won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. McKinney raves about Vrabel and brings him up constantly when asked about his work this season.Coach Vrabel does an unbelievable job of just putting me in a great position to make plays, McKinney said. Im just trying to help the defense out, force thrree-and-outs, get the defense lined up, play my style of football and just try to help us win games.ddddddddddddVrabel thinks McKinneys health this season is another reason for his success after he struggled through a knee injury and a concussion early last year that set him back a bit.When he came back, he started to really get comfortable playing in there, Vrabel said. We played well down the stretch defensively, and then he had a good offseason ... hes practicing. Hes seeing every rep and hes taking the coaching. Hes done a really good job for us.McKinney, a star quarterback and basketball player in high school, is also valuable to the Texans because of his size (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) and ability to help in the secondary.He has some coverage skill and that helps as well, Crennel said. We like big guys that can move and have some speed and some length, so he falls into that category.McKinney doesnt enjoy talking about himself, but did admit he isnt surprised by his success this season. That doesnt mean he isnt trying to improve.I know what I can do. I know I can be better, he said. Theres a lot of things I can correct on the field. Just taking the coaching, watching film, flying around and playing with energy, thats my style of play, playing with energy, and its helped me out a lot.McKinney and the Texans will try to snap a two-game skid when they travel to Green Bay on Sunday . The Texans remain atop the AFC South despite their recent losing, but know they need to get back on track quickly with Tennessee just one-half game back.If everybody just stays focused (and) does their job, we should be where we want to be at the end of the season, McKinney said.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL. ' ' '