BARCELONA, Spain - Carles Puyol will move from Barcelonas playing field to its front office after knee problems forced the former players retirement. Harold Carmichael Black Jersey . The 36-year-old Puyol has been appointed assistant to the clubs sports management. He says, "I am very excited about this new stage of my life." Puyol decided to retire at the close of his 15th season with the Catalan club after persistent knee problems had limited his effectiveness in recent years. Puyol won 100 caps for Spain, which he helped guide to the World Cup title in 2010, two years after being on the countrys winning European Championship team. The former centre back won 21 trophies, including three Champions Leagues and six Spanish leagues. Jerome Brown Black Jersey . 8 exhibition game marking the leaders birthday. Rodman said the game is on track despite the recent execution of Kims uncle in a dramatic political purge. Rodmans visit comes less than a week after North Korea announced the execution of Jang Song Thaek, an unprecedented fall from grace for one of the most powerful figures in the country. Darren Sproles Jersey . Grabner scored on a breakaway 3:53 into overtime as the Islanders defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Tuesday. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Lionel Hollins has been more successful than any Grizzlies coach and will be a free agent after June 30. He has the Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals for the first time and has won more games with this team than any other coach. He probably wouldnt have a problem getting another job, but is very happy with the one he has. And hes not worrying about what the future holds. "I have a job," Hollins said. "Im happy with where we are and excited about what were doing. Thats my only concern. Everything else is irrelevant." New owners took over in November and decided to wait until after the season to see what they had before extending contracts. That has made Hollins a popular potential candidate for other openings. Memphis needs Hollins full post-season attention right now with the Grizzlies down 0-2 heading into Saturdays Game 3 against San Antonio. They rallied from an 0-2 deficit against the Clippers in the first round, becoming only the 10th team to win four straight and the first to win all four by double digits. The challenge now is tougher because no NBA team has won two series in the same post-season after trailing 0-2. Centre Marc Gasol said Thursday that Hollins focus on the task at hand definitely helps the Grizzlies concentrate only on the Spurs right now. "We know that theres nothing we can do about it right now," Gasol said of Hollins future in Memphis. "Eventually, thats going to come, and hopefully, its going to be solved quickly after we do what were supposed to do." Dealing with adversity is nothing new for Hollins. The sixth selection overall in 1975 by Portland remembers having to wait to make sure his check had cleared in a career that included 673 games five teams. He also has a championship starting for the Trail Blazers in 1977 when they won the NBA title despite starting the finals with an 0-2 deficit themselves. Hollins started coaching at his alma mater Arizona State before returning to the NBA where he worked at Phoenix. He was an assistant on the original Grizzlies coaching staff as an expansion franchise in Vancouver in 1995 and even served as interim head coach twice before Memphis hired him the last time in January 2009 as the teams 11th head coach. "As an assistant coach, I was on a one-year contract that ran out every summer," Hollins said. "People that have jobs, their contract runs out. You still just have to do what you do while theyre there and while youre under contract." Since being brought back in January 2009, all Hollins has done is help the Grizzlies win a little bit more than they did the season before. Hes turned in his best season yet with a franchise-record 56-26 that includes the most wins at home and on the road. Hollins starts with defence. As a player, Hollins wass on the NBAs All-Defensive team, and he uses that same defence-first mentality as a coach. Trent Cole Jersey. Memphis had the leagues best this season holding opponents to 89.3 points a game and 33.5 field goal percentage. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Hollins put in a consistent system that has been taught well with the Grizzlies buying into the schemes. "I thought he did one of the best coaching jobs of the season," Popovich said of Hollins. "Hes been steady, hes been classy. Thats why theyre in the conference finals. Theyve come together really well. Thats a tribute to him, his staff and the hard work of the players. They come every night with that consistent physical effort, and thats not easy to do." Spurs forward Boris Diaw said they had seen the Grizzlies building to this success the past few years under Hollins. "Theyve been playing great together from the beginning of the season," Diaw said. "They have a great team defensively. They really play as a team. There is really no one guy dominating, its everybody playing together." Hollins faced some challenges this season that made it seem easier for the new owners to move on without him. The new owners, who took over in November, finally ended weeks of uncertainty Jan. 30 trading away leading scorer Rudy Gay to Toronto. Hollins wasnt happy, having lobbied publicly to keep his starters together for another playoff run. "When you have champagne taste, you cant be on a beer budget," Hollins said a day after the trade. But Hollins also told his players they had no excuses and to get back to work. He mixed in new players like Tayshaun Prince and Ed Davis, and the Grizzlies went 23-8 after the All-Star break for the third-best record in the NBA. "We got a good team dont forget that, but he did a great job with the trade and putting us in position the way we play having confidence," Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph said. To point guard Mike Conley, Hollins is a mentor and father figure on the court who fought for him to play at a time when team officials considered trading the point guard away back in 2009. "Hes always been on me about every single little thing I can improve on, and I think thats just made me better each day knowing that hes going to point out everything I need to improve on and not sugar coat anything and be honest with me," Conley said. "And obviously, he gave me the opportunity I have today so I just try to take advantage of it." Some of Hollins best lessons have been off the court for the Grizzlies. "Thats what he taught us that basketball is just an aspect of your life," Gasol said. "Its real important, but you have to do it the best you can. But youre working for something bigger." ------ cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '
