CHICAGO -- New coach Frank Yallop believes the Chicago Fire "with a bit of tinkering, is a good squad. Spencer Lanning Browns Jersey ." A defensive specialist who coached San Jose to a pair of MLS Cup championships a decade ago, Yallop, from Vancouver, was hired Thursday to replace the Frank Klopas. He was fired Tuesday after New York eliminated the Fire from the MLS playoff race for the third time in the last four seasons. "I think the nucleus of this squad is good," Yallop said after agreeing to a multi-year contract. "Its making sure I get the best out of the guys I have and adding some players I feel will enhance the team I already have." Fire owner Andrew Hauptman made the decision to fire Klopas and managing director Javier Leon, the teams general manager, in the wake of Sundays 5-2 loss to New York, though he admitted the move was being considered for some time. Klopas and Leon had worked together in the front office since 2008, Klopas taking over as coach after Carlos de los Cobos was fired early in the 2011 season. "Its the body of work," Hauptman said. "Weve had six years of leadership. I didnt take the situation lightly. Frank and Javier put their heart and soul into the club. It was time for a change." The Fire finished 14-13-7, with 51 points, identical to Montreal, but missed the playoffs on goal differential. They made the playoffs last season but lost to Houston in the first round. Yallop, the MLS coach of the year in 2012, was fired by San Jose after the Earthquakes started the 2013 season 3-6-6. They rebounded after Mark Watson took over, but like the Fire, missed the MLS playoffs on a points tiebreaker. "I wouldnt say it was a parting of the ways, but it was the best thing for both parties," Yallop said. Chicagos last Eastern Conference Final appearance was in 2009. The Fire has missed the playoffs three times in the last four seasons. That was too often for Hauptman, a Los Angeles-based businessman who bought the team in 2007. "I wont shy away from wanting to compete," Hauptman said. "But its important to show patience as well." He did that through several coaching changes, from Denis Hamlett to de los Cabos to Klopas. Leon has headed the front office since 2008, shortly after Hauptman bought the team. Hauptman said he wanted to move quickly so Yallop can take over control of soccer operations. "We can have a seamless transition," Hauptman said. Yallop will meet with his players early next week. "This team has always been difficult to play against," said Yallop, when San Jose was 1-0-2 against the Fire in its last three MLS matches when he coached. The 49-year-old Yallop was 117-107-84 in 11 seasons with San Jose and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He also coached the Canadian national team, leading it to the third round of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. The Earthquakes won the MLS Cup in 2001, his first season in charge, when he also picked up the first of his two coach of the year awards. The Earthquakes beat the Fire for the 2003 MLS Cup, his second title in three seasons. A defender, he played for Ipswich Town in the English League for 13 years, joining Tampa Bay of the MLS in 1996. Internationally, made 52 appearances with Canada. Barkevious Mingo Womens Jersey . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan.Spencer Lanning Womens Jersey . A stick in the gut prevented him from getting off a clean drive, but it earned him the first penalty shot of his career. He converted, and Patrice Bergeron also scored a short-handed goal on Thursday night as the Bruins opened the defence of their Eastern Conference championship with a 3-1 victory over the Lightning.ATLANTA -- After losing 14 of 15 games, the Atlanta Hawks seem to be getting their mojo back. Paul Millsap says its been a long time coming. "Yeah, were due for it," he said. "We got a few (loose) balls. We got a few calls. Things just went our way in foul situations when its been the other team getting breaks." Millsap had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Jeff Teague added 15 points and 10 assists, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied for their third straight win with a 97-92 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Kenneth Faried finished with 25 points and Wilson Chandler scored 12 for the Nuggets, who were coming off a dramatic victory Friday at two-time defending champion Miami. Kyle Korver, who hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to make it 96-92, had 18 points and Pero Antic added 16 for Atlanta. Denver erased a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to take its first lead at 81-80 lead on Darrell Arthurs two free throws with 7:10 remaining. But Teague hit a 3 with 3:59 remaining that put the Hawks up 89-87 and followed with a long jumper to make it 91-89 at the 1:51 mark. "Every team has big wins," Arthur said in reference to the victory at Miami. "(With) the good teams, its consistent, and we havent been consistent all year. We can beat anybody. We just dont." Ty Lawson, Denvers leading scorer this season, handed out 11 assists, but went 0 for 12 from the field and finished with just two points. Before winning Monday at Utah, the Hawks had dropped from third to eighth in the Eastern Conference during their 1-14 stretch. The Hawks are 3 1/2 games ahead of New York for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Atlantas three-game winning streak is its longest since beating the Jazz on Dec. 20. "We knew they were going to make a run, but I think our mindset was just goiing back to being an aggressive team," said DeMarre Carroll, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists for the Hawks. Johnny Manziel Womens Jersey. "I think our biggest thing is we just have to keep staying aggressive for the entire game instead of just for 36 minutes or 40 minutes." Faried gave the Nuggets a 92-91 lead on a three-point play, but they trailed the rest of the way after Antic hit a long jumper over Faried from the left corner and Wilson Chandler missed a 3 that gave Atlanta possession with 30 seconds to go. The Nuggets, who had erased a 14-point deficit Friday in a 102-97 victory at Miami, had won two straight and four of six. After Korvers 3 made it 16-3, Denver coach Brian Shaw called timeout, and the Nuggets went on a 23-15 run, but they trailed 53-37 on Teagues three-point play with 12 seconds left before halftime. Atlanta went ahead by 21 early in the third on Antics 3, but Denver cut the lead to seven on Foyes 3 at the 5-minute mark, and the Nuggets only trailed by six entering the fourth. "Just a case of too little, too late," Shaw said. "We were real lethargic in the first half. We needed to play the way we played the end of the third quarter (and during the) fourth quarter from the start of the game." NOTES: Antics long jumper with 41.8 seconds remaining was originally scored as a 3, but officials changed the call after watching a replay. ... Carrolls double-double was the second of his career. ... J.J. Hickson scored 12 points for Denver. ... The Nuggets outscored Atlanta 44-26 in the paint and 39-13 off the bench, but Atlanta converted 21 turnovers into 25 points. ... The Hawks have won five of six at home against Denver and are 20-3 since 1989-90 versus the Nuggets in Atlanta. ... Atlanta, the NBA assists leader, handed out 25. The Hawks have had 20 assists in 60 of 64 games this season. ' ' '
