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Tony Stewart wouldnt make predictions during the preseason about his final Sprint Cup year. He knew he had struggled since 2013, and he didnt want to put on a bold face and guarantee a win or a Chase berth. He only promised he would do his best and try to have fun along the way.Many in sports equal fun with winning. Second is the first loser. But while he has compiled a house full of racing-winning and championship trophies, racing for Stewart also revolves around speed and fervent competition. Go hard or go home but go at it with respect. The atmosphere: Raw with the smell of fuel amid the blinding speed in cars driven by the fearless.Racing at the Sprint Cup level doesnt feature that grass-roots feel. Along with the boatloads of money earned and money spent come mudslides of manure that drivers and owners must trudge through. Stewart gets the double-whammy of both driver and owner. He needs his own tanker trailer of Port-o-John suction power to navigate his racing season.So he will retire after this year and go back to the pure form of racing sprint cars when he wants, not when some sponsor tells him to. He will get to the track, practice, qualify and race all in the same day and either go have pizza and beers, go light fireworks (did you see that display on Periscope?) or head to the next track. Or he could just go to sleep. Or get on his plane and go somewhere remote, away from the bright lights and the adoration.He will still rank as a superstar and he will have to contend with public perception, but it wont drain him as much as it does now. If things get too overwhelming, he can decide to change his plans.And after winning Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, Stewart can also say he went out of NASCAR as a winner in his final Sprint Cup season. Not every great driver can say that. And not every great driver had gone three years -- 84 races (plus 26 more that he missed) -- before winning in his final rodeo.For someone so brash, Stewart also apparently has a sensitive side. He doesnt understand how some people could have such venom, which they spew on social media, critical of his racing ability, his demeanor, and his past transgressions. Certainly, Stewarts resume and at-track persona -- and more than a few antics -- dont sit well with everyone and he has earned some of that hate.He reads hes too washed up, too slow and obviously cant drive the good equipment that Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch take to wins. And it might not hurt for long, but Stewart saw enough of those comments to mention in his postrace news conference at Sonoma.His win at Sonoma wont change that type of vitriol. His lengthy resume has allowed fans to form opinions. If he got on social media this week, he might stumble among those who believe that Denny Hamlin purposefully went wide in the final corner to give Stewart the win. (The video does not help the cause, especially the overhead shots. Hamlin had a good gap on Stewart and went wide, blowing the corner in epic fashion. How in the world could Hamlin mess up so bad?)But to believe Hamlin gifted the victory, you would have to assume Hamlin first made a mistake in passing Stewart in the first place.Knowing the competitiveness of a race-car driver, it is rational to believe Hamlin just delivered the choke job of ultimate proportion. Even the best make mistakes, and Hamlin has made a few in his career, especially in the 2010 championship hunt. Great pitchers hang a fastball at the wrong moment. Great basketball shooters miss from close range. Sometimes the best golfer two-putts when a 12-year-old can sink it on the first try.Stewart earned this win. He didnt get passed on either of the restarts after he assumed the lead. As he said, he probably hit all but three corners on the final 14 laps. He delivered a winning performance no matter what happened on that last lap.Now comes the Chase. In 2011 he predicted he didnt have a chance and then won five races to capture the title. So dont ask him now, hell say.Dont look on the track for answers. Teams ran the proposed 2017 package at Michigan, where Stewart had his best performance of the season prior to Sonoma. The road course at Sonoma has no correlation to any turn in the Chase, and this week the series heads to the restrictor-plate event at Daytona. Then comes another look at the 2017 package with Kentucky. Not for another month will Stewart race a car that has a potential Chase setup.The odds dont favor him. But truthfully a driver doesnt have to run great in the entire Chase to advance to the championship round. A driver could race mediocre in the first round, good in the second round and then must have those great moments over the last four events.Stewart could get there. But if he doesnt, he gave his fans one more chance to celebrate. Actually, theyll have plenty of more chances to celebrate. When he gets to running the cars that truly make him happy, they could see him race closer to their hometowns, and theyll pay cheaper prices for tickets and concessions. As long as they can see through the clouds of dirt rising from the surface, they will see Stewart wheeling a car with a smile on his face.When he wins, hell celebrate. He might have to thank a few sponsors, but hell celebrate in a victory lane void of much of the butt-kissing and media stops one has to do as part of the big-money Sprint Cup machine.It will be raw. It will be real. And it will prove once again that he has the talent. No questions asked.Nike Baseball Jerseys China .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Cheap Baseball Jerseys Authentic . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. https://www.fakebaseballjerseys.com/ . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Fake Nike Baseball Jerseys China .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Nike Baseball Jerseys 2020 . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said.With the 2016-17 NBA season set to tip off Oct. 25, the leagues uniforms are going to be featuring a whole lot of nothing -- or at least a whole lot of zeroes.Thats because three NBA teams currently have a No. 0 and a No. 00 on their rosters (yes, thats legal in the NBA). One of those teams, the Nuggets, has had the zero and double-zero situation since last season, when Emmanuel Mudiay (0) played alongside Darrell Arthur (00). Thanks to some offseason player moves, the distinction is now shared by the Cavaliers, who have Kevin Love (0) and Chris Andersen (00), and the Pacers, who have C.J. Miles (0) and Aaron Brooks (00). That appears to set the high-water mark for the most teams featuring this uni-numerical quirk at the same time. So the season hasnt even started yet and weve already set a uni-related record -- not bad.Of course, the NBA uni-verse features lots of other developments this season. Heres our annual team-by-team look at what you can expect to see on the court this season, broken down by division.Atlantic Division? Celtics: No announced changes or news.? The Knicks are marking their 70th anniversary with a jersey patch. Heres how it looks on the home and road jerseys:The Knicks will also be wearing 1946 throwbacks for selected games. They introduced the design with this excellent video clip, which other teams could definitely learn from:? The Nets have a new alternate uniform inspired by the teams old Dr. J-era uniforms. Itll make its on-court debut for the teams home opener on Oct. 28 against the Pacers (additional info, photos and an alternate jersey schedule are all here):? The Raptors have two new uniforms this season -- a very nice Toronto Huskies throwback and a Chinese New Year alternate (additional info on both designs here):? The 76ers will mark the 50th anniversary of their 1966-67 championship team with a throwback uniform, which will be worn for six Saturday home games and will be paired with an alternate court design:Although you cant see it in that court mock-up, the center-court design will feature the signatures of all Sixers season-ticket subscribers, which according to the team will be the first time in NBA history that fan signatures will appear within the playing surface of an NBA court.In a nice additional touch, the 1966-67 team will be honored on this seasons tickets:And speaking of tickets, the Sixers were the first NBA team to ink a uniform-advertising deal for next season, selling space on their jersey to StubHub:Central Division? Bucks: No announced changes or news.? Bulls: No announced changes or news.? The Cavaliers?won their first title, and their jerseys are now carrying the little gold rear-collar tab that all past NBA champions wear. Theyll also be raising their first championship banner, which will include the names of last years season-ticket subscribers:The Cavs had also planned to roll out a new court design, but fan feedback was negative, so team owner Dan Gilbert recently announced that theyll stick with the old design for the season opener and come out with a revised version soon.And although it hasnt been announced yet, all signs point to the Cavs wearing orange World B. Free-era throwbacks at some point this season.? The Pacers are celebrating their 50th season with a variety of initiatives, beginning with a commemorative logo that will be worn as a?jersey patch and will also appear on the court:In addition, the Pacers will play a series of Decade Games -- once per month, with each honoring one of the teams previous decades -- featuring era-specific bobblehead giveaways and entertainment. Theyll also wear their Hickory throwbacks, inspired by the movie Hoosiers, for six additional games. Further info on both of those promotions, including the specific game dates, is available here.? The Pistons have made a slight change to their court design:The Pistons also appear to have a new secondary logo. Oddly, the team has denied the logos existence, but it keeps showing up on merchandise and is even on that new court design. Weird.Southeast Division? The Hawks wacky uniform set will look even wackier this season, because theyre adding a racing stripe throwback from the Pete Maravich era. It will make its on-court debut on Jan. 13 and will also be worn on Feb. 24, March 6, and April 6.? Several sources have indicated the Heat will have a new alternate uniform this season. Although nothing has been released yet, the video game NBA 2K17 may have provided a hint of how the design will look:? The Hornets arena has a new name -- the Spectrum Center -- and also has a new high-definition scoreboard (additional info here):? The Magic are adding a fairly minimalist alternate jersey to their wardrobe (additional info here):In addition, the Magic will raise a No. 49 banner as part of their Opening Night festivities on Oct. 26, in memory of the 49 victims of last summers Pulse nightclub shootings. Theyve also created a rainbow-patterned pride logo for the occasion:? The Wizards have a new alternate uniform with a stars-and-stripes design motif. The uniform will make its on-court debut for the Nov. 11 game -- Veterans Day -- against the Cavaliers. Northwest Division? The Jazz have a new uniform set this season. The four new designs include an unusual sleeved alternate thats bound to be controversial (many fans have already dubbed it the soccer jersey). Theres lots of additional info on this excellent interactive page (kudos to whoever designed that presentation), and heres a full Uni Watch assessment.The Jazz also have a new court design this season (additional photos here):? The Nuggets will retire Dikembe Mutombos No. 55 as part of the festivities for their home opener agaiinst the Trail Blazers on Oct.dddddddddddd 29, and theyll?wear rainbow-striped throwbacks for the occasion.? Thunder: No announced changes or news.? Timberwolves: No announced changes or news.? Nothing new this year for the Trail Blazers, but team president Chris McGowan recently said the club will have new uniforms and a new logo next season.Pacific Division? No announced changes for the Clippers, but its worth noting they seem to be referring to their location as L.A., not Los Angeles. A subtle way of distinguishing themselves from the Lakers, perhaps.? Major upgrade for the Kings, whose new uniforms are a serious improvement over their previous set. Theres a?lot of additional info on this interactive page, and you can also check out this photo gallery and this Uni Watch assessment of the new threads.The new uniform set is being paired with a new logo, which is actually an updated version of the teams old crowned ball logo, the original version of which dates to the franchises previous incarnation as the Cincinnati Royals.That old Royals logo was designed by a guy named Robert Grove. Heres an exclusive Uni Watch interview with him, and a good article on how the new logo set was developed.The Kings also have a new court design (heres some additional info and photos of the floor being installed):? Although it hasnt been officially announced yet, multiple sources indicate the Lakers to be wearing Magic Johnson-era throwbacks at some point this season.Its also worth noting that Metta World Peace wanted to change his uniform number to No. 60, to honor Kobe Bryants 60-point NBA finale from last season. But the deadline for new numbers had already passed, so hes stuck with No. 37, at least for now.? The Suns have a new court design, featuring a revival of the old purple border (additional info here):? Two patches this season for the Warriors -- a 70th-season logo (dating to the franchises 1946 inception in Philadelphia) and a 42 memorial band for the late Nate Thurmond.Golden State will also wear early-90s Run TMC-era throwbacks for six Sunday home games (additional info and throwback dates here):Southwest Division? The Grizzlies have partnered with the National Civil Rights Museum, which is based in Memphis, to create a thoughtfully designed alternate uniform honoring Martin Luther King. It will debut on Jan. 15, when the Grizzlies play the Bulls, and will then be worn for various games during Black History Month in February. Too bad about the sleeves, but every other aspect of this one is a winner. Nicely done (additional info and photos here).? Mavericks: No announced changes or news.? The Pelicans are hosting this seasons NBA All-Star Game. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Charlotte (it was moved due to North Carolinas law that limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people), which may explain why the Pelicans patch seems like an underwhelming rush job:The Rockets are celebrating their 50th season with a jersey patch:Also: In September of 2015, the Rockets took the unusual step of unveiling three alternate uniforms and announcing that one of them wouldnt be worn until the 2016-17 season. A year later, its finally time for that uniform -- a straightforward black design -- to join the teams wardrobe.And in one last development, the Rockets will retire Yao Mings No. 11 on Feb. 2.Spurs: No announced changes or news.Additional Notes? Expect to see lots of striped socks on the court this season.Additional sock designs will be released soon, probably next week. A spokesman for Stance, the leagues sock provider, said eight teams will have new uniform-specific sock designs (the Knicks, Lakers, Kings, Wizards, Bucks, Magic, Mavericks, and Warriors), plus there will be new sock designs for throwbacks, alternate uniforms, military appreciation, Black History Month, and more.? This years Christmas uniforms havent officially been released yet, but the design leaked back in June. Theyve very similar to last years designs, which were generally well received.? The Celtics and Bulls are both scheduled to play on March 17, which means their St. Patricks Day uniforms will be making their annual appearance:? We can also expect to see the usual assortment of Spanish-language jerseys as part of the leagues Noche Latina program.? The 2017 NBA All-Star Game will be played on Feb. 19. It was originally slated to take place in Charlotte, but the league moved it to New Orleans due to North Carolinas law that limits anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. The games original logo was scrapped, and a new one, with a New Orleans theme, has been issued in its place. No word yet on the uniforms.? All NBA arenas have been equipped with new shot clocks and timing systems (additional info here):Thats it. Did we miss anything? If so, you know what to do.For better or worse, the league will likely look very different next season. Nike will be taking over for Adidas as the leagues uniform outfitter, and teams will be permitted to wear corporate advertising patches for the first time. All of which should make for a lively rundown of information when we reconvene here for the 2017-18 season preview.Paul Lukas agrees that Utahs new sleeved alternate looks soccer-ish, but he really likes it anyway. If you like this column, youll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, be added to his mailing list so youll always know when a new column has been posted or just ask him a question? Contact him here. ' ' '