there, but its definitely doable. Its not like its too

PRAGUE -- After only nine matches, a provincial soccer club from eastern Czech Republic is starting to draw comparisons with Premier League champion Leicester.FC Fastav Zlin, a 900-1 shot to win the Czech league title and already dubbed Zlincester, is in the early title hunt with the countrys traditional powers.Its a nice comparison, Zlin coach Bohumil Panik said in a recent interview. It pleases me. Leicester is, for a small club like us, an example to follow.Leicester surprised just about everybody last season, starting well in the Premier League and holding on to win the English title for the first time in its history.Zlin, a town of 75,000 where in 1894 Tomas Bata founded what was to become a global shoe empire, started as a soccer team in 1919 and made its debut in Czechoslovakias first division in 1938.The team has never won the title, and did well to even stay in the top league after finishing only three points above the relegation zone last season.We hit the bottom in the spring, Panik said, referring to a winless streak in early 2016. The players well remember that and dont want to go through it again. The team has learned a lesson.This season, Zlin is five points ahead of Sparta Prague and trails leaders Mlada Bloeslav and Viktoria Plzen by only one point.With its budget estimated to be less than $2 million a year, a stadium that seats just over 6,000 spectators and no big successes in the past, Zlin is a very unlikely candidate to challenge the Czech heavyweights.Under the name Gottwaldov, it only once played in major European competition, and was eliminated in the first round of the Cup Winners Cup by PSV Eindhoven in 1970.Yet this season, the Cobblers beat defending champion Viktoria Plzen 2-0, held Sparta Prague to a 1-1 draw and so far have six wins and three draws.Similar to Leicester, Zlins unheralded players rely on a well-organized defense and fast counter-attacks, punishing any defensive mistakes. But the team has also proved it is ready to adapt, like when visiting Jablonec altered its tactics and focused on defense and counters on Saturday. Zlin trailed 2-0, but in a display of undying fighting spirit, the team rallied for two goals in the final six minutes to salvage a draw.Given the development of the game, its a victory for us that the team managed to come back, Panik said.Panik is an admirer of some great coaches, including Italian master tactician Giovanni Trapattoni and Karel Bruckner, known for his free-flowing attacking soccer as Czech national team coach.The 59-year-old Panik, who has experience from coaching several Polish clubs, including Lech Poznan, applies tactics that suit the players he has available at Zlin.For instance, attacking midfielder Vukadin Vukadinovic, one of the fastest players in the league, has become a lethal weapon under Panik by creating chances from his runs down the right flank. Vukadinovics previous club, Slavia Prague, failed to find use for his speed.Itll take a team effort to win the title, but Zlin is on the right track so far -- just like that team from England last year.Leicester is a story that reminds me of a fairytale, Panik said. I like fairytales.James Harden Rockets Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Charles Barkley Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Charles-Barkley-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 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The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets might have a budding backup quarterback controversy.Todd Bowles declined to say Sunday whether Geno Smith remained the teams No. 2 QB behind Ryan Fitzpatrick or if Bryce Petty has surpassed him on the depth chart.The Jets coach said earlier in training camp that there was no change in the pecking order, but Petty had a strong showing in New Yorks 22-18 loss at Washington on Friday night. Meanwhile, Smith struggled in the game and appeared to perhaps lose his stranglehold on the backup job.I was clear about every position: 1, 2, 3, 4 going in, Bowles said Sunday. Until we make a change, there wont be (a change). Thats any position. When we make a decision at the end of camp, if it changes, it changes. And if it doesnt, it doesnt.When asked specifically if the order of the depth chart remains Fitzpatrick, Smith, Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg, Bowles was evasive.Right now, theyre all playing, he said, and were trying to see who sorts out what.Against Redskins backups and playing with the second-team offense, Smith was 6 of 13 for 47 yards and an interception. With mostly third-stringers in, Petty was 16 of 26 for 242 yards and two touchdowns.Bowles acknowledged that he has a plan for the quarterback rotation for the Jets third preseason game against the Giants on Saturday night, but would not say what it is.Fitzpatrick and the starters will play a bit more in the game, the normal routine for the third preseason game. But beyond that, its uncertain.All of them have to be up to play, Bowles said. We have a plan for the quarterbacks that were not revealing. On Saturday, well play the guys that we have scheduled to play. But we do have a plan to play certain people.Bowles was then asked if Geno Smith will be the second quarterback into the game.To be clear, we have a plan on who were going to play that were not going to reveal, Bowles said.Smith is entering his fourth NFL season and had a mostly solid offseason and camp. But his performance, compared to that of Petty might have narrowed the gap between the two a bit.Off and on, missed a few throws here and there, Smith said after the game. But, you know, I think I fit the preseason form: get the chance to go out there, get a few series in and try to develop some chemistry with the guys. But overall, not to my standards. I think I couldve played a lot better.While he likely isnt in jeopardy to llose his roster spot since hes the only one of the three backups with any NFL regular-season playing experience, a good performance against the Giants -- whenever he gets in -- would go a long way into re-establishing his position on the depth chart.ddddddddddddPetty had been up and down throughout the offseason and the beginning of camp, but senses a great deal of improvement from this time last year, when he was adjusting to the NFL after being a fourth-round pick out of Baylor.Its hard not to laugh, he said. Its great, though, because thats kind of what Ive wanted to do since I got here, was just progress each and every day I get out here.He said he could tell the difference in himself even in the organized team activities this year. That has carried over into training camp, and now into the preseason games.Just a lot more comfortable, Petty said. Im not as antsy in the pocket, not as rushed in my thought process, which is all good.One of the biggest challenges for Petty was coming from a spread-type offense in college to learning how to play in Chan Gaileys pro-style system.Its still English, he said of the transition. It might be cursive, where spread was print, but its still English. ... Theres definitely a transition there, but its definitely doable. Its not like its too foreign.After watching the film of the game, Petty gave himself mixed reviews. There were good things, such as seeing blitzes from the defense. He acknowledged he was also slow at times at reading coverages.One much-discussed topic among fans and media this summer has been whether the Jets will actually keep four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. If he continues to show progression over the final two preseason games, Petty could certainly push the issue. And while he insists he doesnt approach things that way, he acknowledges that he feels as though hes on an audition for the Jets -- and other teams who might be watching.I think we all are, he said. But, for right now, Im right here, and this is where I want to be. So, yeah, its an audition for anybody watching that tape, but that is first and foremost for the Jets because I want to be here. Each day I come out here, its to put on a show for them.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '