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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - In the closing laps at Martinsville Speedway, Jeff Gordon could see Dale Earnhardt Jr. ahead of him with enough time to formulate a plan on how to handle his teammate if Gordon could catch him.Earnhardt had been eliminated from the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field one week earlier and was racing only for a trophy. Gordon, still eligible to win the title, wanted to win last week to grab the automatic berth into the final round of NASCARs playoffs.So what would have happened?I would have moved him for sure. Theres no doubt in my mind, Gordon said after finishing second to Earnhardt at Martinsville. Everybody who is out there racing has to weigh risk versus reward. For me, to win this race, its worth taking a lot of risk, even if you upset your teammate.I think everybody out there thats not in the Chase understands that if that guy can win that race and put himself in Homestead for the championship, you can pretty much guarantee that youre going to get the bumper or get slammed or something.Well, Gordon got slammed on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway and he didnt like it one bit. He confronted Brad Keselowski on pit road following the race, and an exchange of words escalated quickly — with an assist from Kevin Harvick — into a full-blown melee between the crews.Both champions were left bloodied — Gordons lip and Keselowski spitting blood after taking a shot to the cheek — even though neither driver appeared to throw a punch or get close enough to each other to actually fight.But for the second time in four races, Keselowski was attacked in a post-race fracas because his aggressive driving upset someone. It happened at Charlotte last month when Denny Hamlin had to be restrained from going after him, then Matt Kenseth jumped him from behind before he was quickly pulled away.This time, Gordon was primed for a smack-down. He called his shot on his team radio when he said he was going to beat up Keselowski, who on a restart during an overtime two-lap sprint to the finish tried to wedge his car in between Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson to grab the lead.There were two laps left at the time and Keselowski, in a hole in the Chase standings, needed that win to grab one of the four spots in the Nov. 16 championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He saw a gap and went for it, just as any driver with his season on the line should have done. Gordon himself said just seven days earlier everyone should expect Chase drivers to be aggressive.The problem was that Keselowski and Gordon made contact, causing Gordon to spin after his tire went flat. Racing for a win and a spot at Homestead moments earlier, he wound up finishing 29th and is fourth in the eight-driver Chase field.Its understandable that Gordon was angry. But its unfair to hold Keselowski to a different standard, even if his body of work has drawn the ire of the majority of the garage.Keselowski had as much on the line as Gordon, and it was a go-for-broke, risk versus reward moment where Keselowski let it all hang out.Brad Keselowski is a champion who competes to win in every race, which is what I expect of him, team owner Roger Penske said in a statement Monday. While the actions by others following the race in Texas were unfortunate, Brad has my 100 per cent support as we now move on to Phoenix for the next stage of the NASCAR championship.The late Formula One champion Ayrton Senna said repeatedly throughout his career that drivers always compete to win. If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver because we are competing, we are competing to win, he said in 1990.Senna and so many other greats raced under those standards. Gordon himself said just a week ago that aggression is warranted at this stage of the season. Why is not OK for Keselowski to do the same?Some other elements of the Sunday night fight that should be addressed:HARVICK THE PUPPET MASTER: The pit road fight might never have happened had Harvick not rushed in from behind the scrum and shoved Keselowski in the back toward the tempest. Fists were flying seconds later, and Harvick backed his way out and returned to a bystander role.Harvick is the quintessential Machiavellian character in NASCAR. Hes always loved stirring the pot and pulling the strings from behind the curtain. Its part of his game, and climbing into the head of his competitors gives Harvick an edge.He knew exactly what he was doing with that shove: Also in a hole in the Chase, Harvick benefits from all the other title contenders being locked into a drama that disrupts their focus as they head this week to Phoenix.Harvick has won three of the last four races at Phoenix and should be the favourite Sunday. But Gordon was in another league when Hendrick Motorsports tested at Phoenix last month, and Keselowski has already proved once in this Chase (at Talladega) that he can produce in must-win races.Unless NASCAR takes issue with Harvicks role as instigator in this brawl, he walks away scot-free as two of his top rivals find themselves in an uncomfortable spotlight.___CREW MEMBERS: Harvick contends he was simply telling Keselowski to handle his business after the on-track incident with Gordon, and theres been fan backlash that Keselowski was hiding behind his crew members when Gordon approached.The reality is, Gordon and Keselowski were never getting close to each other to have a reasonable discussion or even a fight. Theres always a cavalry of adrenaline-fueled crew members who jump into these post-race confrontations, and Sunday nights was a Hendrick Motorsports schoolyard brawl. Punches were thrown from every direction and multiple video angles show Keselowski took at least one to the face and one to the back of the head.The most egregious action came from a member of Kasey Kahnes crew who rushed in from behind and threw haymakers in defence of Hendrick driver Gordon, who at one time grabbed at Keselowskis firesuit but was quickly pulled away.NASCAR is reviewing the entire matter, and Hendrick Motorsports said Monday it was also doing an internal review. Kenseth dodged a penalty after Charlotte because he didnt throw a punch at Keselowski, and NASCAR doesnt have much of a reason to punish Gordon or Keselowski.But the goonlike behaviour from the crews must sternly be addressed — and halted. The drivers started this on the track and had the right to end it off of it without the assistance of others. Asics Shoes Clearance . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. Discount Asics Shoes .com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12. http://www.wholesaleasics.com/ . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cheap Asics Running Shoes . RAPTORS STRUGGLING: The bottom line is the true test in sports isnt just how you handle failure, but how you handle success. Cheap Wholesale Asics . With timely hitting and good pitching, the Marlins are one win away from sweeping the slumping Houston Astros.TORONTO -- Shea Emry and Tim Burke are together again. The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran linebacker to a three-year deal Tuesday, hours after the start of CFL free agency. The move reunites Emry with Tim Burke, the new Argos defensive co-ordinator who held the same post in Montreal when Emry began his pro career in 2008. "We (Emry and Burke) had a brief conversation after I signed and it was great, it was just like old times," Emry said during a conference call. "Im super excited with the dynamic aspects he wants to bring to it. "Im a guy whos been in the defence that really allowed me to flourish and be the player I want to be." Toronto also signed former Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman Scott Mitchell as a free agent Tuesday. Emry will replace veteran Robert McCune in the middle of Torontos defence. McCune was the clubs tackling leader last season but became a free agent Tuesday as well. "I think youre getting a player of similar mould," Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said when asked to compare Emry with McCune. "One of the things Ive always said about Shea from when he was a rookie is theres a certain number of players in the league that when the games on the line and you need a play, you hear it said all the time, this guy is around the ball and making a play. "Thats one of the biggest strengths Shea has, is when the moment is at its biggest, thats when he seems to make a play and change the game. I dont know thats different from Robert McCune but Im certainly thrilled. Ive watched Shea since he was a rookie ... Im sure he had many many offers and Im honoured he chose to join the Double Blue." Emry, 27, of Richmond, B.C., spent the first six years of his career with Montreal, helping the Alouettes earn Grey Cup titles 2009 and 2010. Burke was the defensive co-ordinator on those championship teams but left to join head coach Paul LaPolices staff in Winnipeg in 2011. Burke became the Bombers head coach after LaPolice was fired in August 2011 and held that position until being let go by Winnipeg following the 2013 campaign. "The one guy we highlighted was Shea Emry and if he stayed available he was the guy we were going to go hard on," Argos general manager Jim Barker said. "We felt like hes the right guy, the piece to help us and Tim Burke in terms of putting in his defence a guy whos played for him and obviously is a ratio changer. "He just brings all the things we look for on this football team." Milanovich is also intimately familiar wiith Emry, having won Grey Cups as Montreals offensive co-ordinator before coming to Toronto prior to the 2012 campaign.dddddddddddd. Also, offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady is a former Alouettes assistant. "I wanted to make my decision based on the football club," Emry said. "I know Jim and Scott run a tight ship around there, no pun intended. "I really respect Scott and respect Marcus and Tim ... I recognize theres a culture in there I want to be a part of. That was a big part of the decision. I want to be part of a winning culture and a culture that allows players to play together and flourish as a team." The seventh overall pick in the 2008 CFL draft, Emry has 261 tackles, 13 sacks, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions in his career. Emrys best season came in 2012 when he totalled a career-best 87 tackles, including seven sacks, and was named the East Divisions top Canadian and defensive MVP. He was also an East Division and CFL all-star. He said leaving Montreal is hard. "It was a difficult decision to make but on the other hand it came down to something that was really easy, it was a values-based decision," he said. "Going into this free-agency market, I knew I wanted to make a decision based on values and not where my heart laid. "I wanted to give Montreal the proper gratitude for drafting me and for having given me six great years of football and the opportunity to play football. Coming down this morning and having all the offers on the table, it made it an easy decision to go to a franchise ... that presents a great opportunity for me to step in and allow myself to be the man I want to be." The six-foot-four, 295-pound Mitchell was the second player taken in the 2011 CFL draft by Edmonton. The 24-year-old Ottawa native spent the last three years with the Eskimos. The addition of Emry and Mitchell certainly fill definite needs for Toronto, which lost starting offensive lineman Joe Epelle and versatile linebacker Jason Pottinger, both Canadians, to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks in December. The Argos also announced they signed OL Scott Mitchell, formely of the Edmonton Eskimos, and WR Mike Bradwell to a two-year extension. "Scott is a talented, young Canadian lineman who was a very good collegiate prospect coming out of a large U.S. football program," Argos GM Jim Barker said in a team release. "He now has three years of professional experience in our league and we look forward to seeing him develop with us in Toronto." Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '