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HOUSTON -- Houston defensive end Antonio Smith apologized Monday for using the word "spying" about New England, but didnt exactly back down from the accusations he made after the Texans loss to the Patriots. On Sunday after Houstons 34-31 loss, Smith told reporters that the Texans had some new wrinkles in their defence and it was "miraculous" how the Patriots changed their offence to key on the defence. He said then: "Either teams are spying on us or scouting us. I dont know what it is." On Monday, he said that he thought reporters in Houston knew him well enough to know that he could be joking and still be curious about something like this at the same time. "Im sorry I said the word spying because of a prior engagement of them being caught spying before," he said. The NFL fined New England coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 and took away a first-round pick in the 2008 draft for videotaping New York Jets signals during a game on Sept. 9, 2007. Belichick said he thought that was allowed and apologized for what he said was a mistake in his interpretation of the rule prohibiting it. Belichick was asked on a conference call Monday morning if he saw Smiths comments. "Yeah, I saw them," he said. "I dont have any comment on them. I think thats a league matter." Houston coach Gary Kubiak also was questioned about what Smith said and refused to address them directly. "I have the utmost respect for their organization, their players, their coaches, their head coach and the standard that theyve been setting for a long, long time in this league," he said. "So ... they did a great job yesterday and have been doing it a long time." The loss extended Houstons franchise-record skid to 10 games. The Texans were up 17-7 at halftime before New England rallied for the win. Smith said Monday that he was surprised his comments caused such a stir and wondered why no one had a sense of humour about what he said. "Though it may be something I was curious about that kind of didnt seem right," he said. "Like how all of a sudden the change here? It wasnt a serious matter to where I was thinking: Aw man, theyre spying on us. Theyre cheating. Things like that to the point where it gets to a big story about me accusing them of cheating. Its me being me, being funny." Houston will try to end its skid Thursday night at Jacksonville. Wholesale Salomon Shoes Cheap . The right-hander pitched into the seventh inning and boosted Cincinnatis struggling offence by hitting a double and scoring as the Reds ended a seven-game losing streak by beating the Atlanta Braves 1-0 Saturday night. Cheap Salomon Shoes Free Shipping .com) - The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots intentionally deflated balls during Sundays AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis. http://www.wholesalesalomon.com/ . Dougie Hamilton and Jordan Caron scored in the first period after the Red Wings had miscues on the ice and Tuukka Rask finished with a 23-save shutout, giving Boston a 3-0 win over the Red Wings and a 2-1 series lead in their first-round series. Discount Salomon Shoes . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Wholesale Salomon Shoes China .com) - Ryan Johansens creative moves and hometown appeal highlighted Team Folignos successful night at the NHL All- Star Skills Competition.MINNEAPOLIS - When the Minnesota Timberwolves walk into Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, they will be staring their former franchise player right in the face for the first time since he was traded last summer.Kevin Love has moved on after six frustrating seasons in Minnesota, and Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders said he harbours no grudges against him for asking to be traded. But Saunders cant say the same for Timberwolves fans.Minnesota people are pretty loyal. You turn on Minnesota, they dont forgive you, Saunders said after practice on Monday. So I think people probably appreciated him while he was here. But you leave under the terms that he did, just the way Minnesota people are, theyre not pretty forgiving along those lines.Love made three All-Star teams in six seasons with the Wolves, including being voted a starter last year. He worked tirelessly to change his body and improve his game and became a pillar in the community by reaching out to fans and organizing a coat drive every winter.But things started to sour in 2012 when previous president of basketball operations David Kahn declined to offer him a full, maximum five-year contract extension. An infuriated Love signed a four-year deal with an opt-out after three seasons and never forgave Kahn or Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor for the slight.Saunders replaced Kahn in 2013 and spent all last season trying to convince Love to stay. But the damage was already done.He was pretty much set in stone the minute he got his four-year contract, Saunders said. At least thats what he says.Love wanted to play for a winner after six straight seasons of missing the playoffs. When LeBron James decided to return home to Cleveland, the Cavaliers engaged in a deal that sent the No. 1 overall picks from the two previous drafts — Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett — to Minnesota team Love with James and Kyrie Irving in a formidable new trio of stars.The Wolves also received Thaddeus Young from Philadelphia in the three-team deal and were determined to use a mixture of veterans and dynamic youngsters to try to at least equal the 40 victories they had last year in Loves final season. But the teams three best players — Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin — have played in 23 combined games due to injuries. So the young Wolves (5-21) have sunk to the bottomm of the Western Conference.ddddddddddddIts tough to judge because I do believe all of our young guys will be a lot better when we get those other guys back, Saunders said.Wiggins has shown flashes of jaw-dropping ability on both ends of the court and is the front-runner for rookie of the year now that Milwaukees Jabari Parker is out with a knee injury. But he has also frustrated Saunders at times with inconsistent effort in games, and the coach is trying to coax higher energy out of the prized piece of the Love haul.Our young guys have probably hit the wall a little bit with the way our schedules been and how much theyve had to play and the responsibility theyve had to play with, Saunders said. Theyre probably as mentally drained as they are physically.The Cavaliers have been mostly healthy, but are having their own issues. At 16-10 and fifth in the lacklustre Eastern Conference, they have not jelled as quickly as anticipated under first-year head coach David Blatt. Loves averages of 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 12.5 shots per game are his lowest since his second year in the league as he gets used to life as a supporting actor in James movie.Saunders said he expected Wiggins and Bennett to have a little extra motivation going into the game on Tuesday night against the team that traded them.Theres always motivation, Wiggins said. I think thats obvious.Does he feel any connection to the Cavaliers organization?No, Wiggins said with a chuckle. I was there for like three days,Even though wins are hard to come by, Wiggins reiterated that Minnesota is a better situation for him at this point in his career.Im being put in a bigger position, a bigger role here than I wouldve been on that team, Wiggins said. Thats just helping me grow more mentally and physically.Whatever happens on Tuesday night, the real test will come Jan. 31, when Love returns to Minnesota. Kevin Garnett received a thunderous standing ovation from a sold out Target Center crowd in his first game back with Boston after he was traded in 2007, but Saunders thinks Loves return will be different.They know KG stayed many times. He stayed when things were tough, didnt run from the situation, Saunders said. He turned down trades three times to go to Boston and finally the organization had to convince Kevin to take the trade. It wasnt where Kevin said, trade me I want to leave. ' ' '