FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Austin Allen was talking with teammate Frank Ragnow ahead of preseason camp when a thought about the last few seasons occurred to the first-year starting quarterback of the Razorbacks.You know, I cant even remember the last time Ive been hit, Allen said.Yes, its been that long -- four years, actually -- since Allen entered a football season as his teams projected starting quarterback.However, after three seasons of largely backing up his older brother, Brandon, the younger Allen knows expectations wont be diminished in the slightest because of any rust he might have. And thats just fine with the 6-foot-1, 209-pound junior, who has used his time away from the field to transform his usual fun-loving ways into more of an all-business approach.Well, nearly all business.I cant really wait to get just decked one time, Austin Allen said, unable to contain his excitement about the season opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 3.If Allens outgoing personality is a bit of a shock to Razorbacks fans this season, it will largely be because they are expecting the more-reserved style they have become used to over the last three seasons from Brandon Allen.It was the same adjustment coach Bret Bielema had to make three seasons ago when Austin Allen showed up on campus. Back then, the quarterback -- fresh off leading nearby Fayetteville High School to back-to-back state championships -- made his mark by cracking jokes during practices and occasionally giving his social life the same priority as football.It was an approach that rankled Bielema from time to time, and he made a point to mention his frustration with the quarterback. And of course, the Allens are very different.You wouldnt even know they are brothers, Bielema said. (Brandon) was kind of a more laid back kind of guy. Austin, on the other hand, is very competitive.From the younger Allens perspective, one cause of the early growing pains was simply a matter of growing up. Another was the realization that playing time was doubtful early in his career.He finally turned more serious prior to last season, when he was set to serve as the primary backup. And the extra work -- from studying game plans, doing extra film work and mimicking his older brothers work ethic -- paid off in the form of repeated compliments from Bielema and Arkansas other coaches.The first year was on me, just not being mature enough, Allen said. It happens for every freshmen, I feel like, who thinks, `Oh, I dont need extra film. Ill be fine. That just doesnt happen in college. You have to do extra.Because of the durability of his older brother, Allen attempted only three passes last season. However, he did see limited action in four games two years ago -- including playing the entire second half of a 30-0 win over Mississippi after Brandon Allen was injured.That experience played a role in helping Austin Allen earn the starting job during the spring, when Bielema said he was the unquestioned top quarterback on the roster. It was a position Allen continued to earn throughout the summer while working out with teammates five days a week.One of the things I always urged him to do was take advantage of the experience his brother was having, and I think he tried to do that the best he could, Bielema said. Its never the same, but I like the way his leadership has continued during the summer. Im excited to see him take the reins. Cheap Sabres Jerseys . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Sabres Jerseys 2021 .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. https://www.cheapsabres.com/ . 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Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The first test of Brazils ability to host the World Cup and Olympic Games over the next three years begins on Saturday when the eight-nation Confederations Cup tournament kicks off. The new or renovated stadiums around Brazil are ready, give or take a lick of paint and a final sweep. And violent protests on the streets of two of the biggest cities, Rio and Sao Paulo, have tested authorities ability to deal with civil unrest. The tournament starts in the capital Brasilia with a game between the host and Asian champion Japan. It ends in Rio de Janeiros Maracana Stadium two weeks later. The tournament is held every four years - always one year before the World Cup - between the champions of each football confederation. Workmen were still applying cement onto walls, attaching glass panels and painting at several stadiums as the clock ticked down to kick-off, but FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was not worried about the last-minute preparations. "Theres a lot of work that will be done in the last minute," he said. "So for me it is not a surprise that two days to go there is still work somewhere. It means that something is not finished so we should just say, okay, and finish it." While the paint and cement dry, tournament officials have been keeping an eye on the street protests, handling team complaints, and hoping Nigeria turn up on time. In the capital Brasilia, about 200 people burned tires and blocked the main road in front of the Brasilia stadium which will host the Confederations Cup opener. The protest was organized by local groups complaining about the excessive cost of the Confederations Cup and World Cup. A black cloud of smoke was seen near the stadium Friday morning as protesters held banners complaining about the local government. Thousands of protesters marched in Rio and Sao Paulo on Thursday to rage against increases in bus and subway fares, and some clashed with police. Officials said roughly 5,000 protesters were in Sao Paulos central area, where they clashed with police who fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd. Police said 40 people were detained, some with knives and gasoline bombs. Police in Rio said about 2,000 people protested there. FIFA expressed "full confidence" that Brazilian police can cope with disorder in the streets after the violent protests. Asked about the protests, FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said that "we are monitoring the situation and we are in touch with the local authorities." But he insisted that FIFA has "full confidence and trust in the local authorities" to cope with "any circumstance." In Recife, Uruguay was forced to go looking for a new practice pitch because the stadium chosen by the squad was not in good condition following heavy rains. "For the World Cup, we have to be on alert so the same mistakes dont happen again, especially the delays, the increased costs and the use of public funds," conngressman and former Brazil striker Romario said.dddddddddddd Latin America is represented here by Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico, Europe by Spain and Italy, Africa by Nigeria, Asia by Japan and the tiny footballing nation of Tahiti, which had an easy passage to the tournament against weak opposition in the Oceania group. Italys star forward Mario Balotelli exited the training pitch with a right leg muscle problem, two days before the Azzurri play their first game against Mexico. The Italian football federation said that Balotelli walked off a closed training session with team physician Enrico Castellacci but that it was only for precautionary reasons and related to a previous physical problem. Nigeria gave world football authority FIFA a shock on Thursday when its players threatened to go on strike and not travel to Brazil because the countrys football association suddenly cut players bonus payments. Nigerias players, in Namibia for a game, missed their connection to Brazil and will arrive late on Saturday or Sunday, leaving them very little time to prepare for their first game on Monday. Their first game is against the part-time players of Tahiti, who should present little threat. The competition is split into two groups, with Brazil, Japan, Mexico and Italy in Group A and Spain, Uruguay, Nigeria and Tahiti in Group B. Brazil, Italy, Spain and Uruguay or Nigeria are favoured to reach the semifinals, with many football fans hoping for a Brazil vs.Spain final at the iconic Maracana on June 30. Brazil has dominated global football for years, but has slipped in the last decade, with Spain rising to become the top global team, holding the world and European titles. Brazils football-mad supporters have been embarrassed to be relegated to 22nd in FIFAs latest rankings, sandwiched between Ghana and Mali, and are looking for salvation from the latest goal-scoring sensation Neymar, who signed for Barcelona last month. Neymar will be wearing the No. 10 shirt for Brazil, a weighty burden considering it was worn by Pele, arguably the best player ever. Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Brazil coach who led the countrys national team to its fifth World Cup title in 2002 and is back for a second spell in charge, is playing down Neymars influence. "Hes not going to play with 11 jerseys on his back. He plays with one jersey," Scolari said Friday. "I have nothing to demand from him." On Sunday, Mexico play Italy in Rio and Spain play Uruguay in the rain-soaked northern city of Recife. Tahiti meets Nigeria in Belo Horizonte on Monday, ending the first round of games. Brazil, a rising global economic power which still suffers from some of the headaches of a developing nation, should be able to handle the Confederations Cup with ease because it faces two massive challenges over the next three years. Next year it hosts the World Cup in 12 cities across a country which is similar in size to Europe, and then in 2016 Rio will host the Olympic Games. ' ' '