s an opportunity to strenuously defend the game

If Marc Methot and the Ottawa Senators are closing in a new deal, the defenceman is staying tight-lipped about it. "Id like to think we are getting closer, other than that I cant elaborate much more on it," Methot told a scrum of reporters on the first day of training camp on Thursday. "It does no good having me comment on the way things are going." On Monday, Senators GM Bryan Murray told TSN Hockey Insider Bob Mckenzie that if they cant get Methot re-signed soon they will have to look at trading him rather than lose the pending unrestricted free agent in the summer. "Its one of those situations where its not always going to be easy and Ive just got to hope that my representative in Larry Kelly does his job and sorts out all that stuff," Methot said, addressing trade speculation. "Right now, Im just focused on camp and getting into shape, getting my legs back and helping the team win some games." Methot and Kelly fired back later in the week saying they were close on a deal off by just $300,000 a season - numbers the Senators disagree on. Kelly declined to comment further on the issue to TSN. The 29-year-old blueliner is in the fourth and final year on his current contract thats worth an average annual value of $3.75 million. Methot scored six goals and added 17 assists over 75 games in 2013-14, his second year in the nations capital. "Ive got to be better - I want to be better," Methot continued. "Theres not a whole lot different that I can do other than maybe approach it slightly different this year. Through camp really focus on the exhibition games that I am playing in and making sure right from the get go were coming out hard. As far as the partners and all that stuff goes I have no idea yet, but well see whoever Im with Ill be ready to go." Adidas Superstar Australia Sale . - Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte sees the commitment to the handoff and cant help but come away impressed. Adidas Superstar Australia Cheap . -- LeGarrette Blount made one last big splash into a soggy end zone. http://www.superstaraustraliacheap.com/. LOUIS -- Russell Martin wanted a better fate for his starting pitcher and helped deliver a happier ending. Adidas Superstar Clearance Sale . First, Ivan Nova decided to have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. Then Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using pine tar. Adidas Superstar Shoes Australia . Not Peyton Manning. Hes holding on to the heartache to stoke his competitive fire. PITTSBURGH -- Heres another adjective Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin can call his ill-timed two-step onto the field last Thursday night against Baltimore. Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. The fine is the second-highest ever levied by the league on a head coach, behind only the $500,000 the NFL docked New Englands Bill Belichick in 2007 for spying on an opponents defensive signals. There is also the chance the Steelers have a draft pick taken away "because the conduct affected a play on the field." Though he was not penalized, the league said the Steelers should have been flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. All that from what Tomlin called an "embarrassing, inexcusable" case of being "mesmerized" while standing in a restricted area that separates the sideline from the playing field and staring at the video board during Jones 73-yard return. Jones had to swerve to avoid running into the coach and was tackled during a return that might have gone for a touchdown if not for the obstruction. Tomlin briefly stepped onto the field before he jumped back. Tomlin insists the "blunder" was not intentional but has no plans to appeal the ruling. "I apologize for causing negative attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization," Tomlin said in a statement Wednesday. "I accept the penalty that I received. I will no longer address this issue as I am preparing for an important game this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins." Jones didnt blame Tomlin for his own inability to score on the return, but his teammates believe the move put the coach and the league in a difficult position. "Im not going to lie, its tough," Baltimore wide receiver Torrey Smith said. "I cant say he did it on purpose because I dont know what he was thinking. It definitely sends a message across the league. He stepped across the line, which definitely threw it off." Tomlin said he was following his normal routine on the play and said standing on the 6-foot wide strip is common practice. New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin didnt disagree. Coughlin drew a 15-yard flag during the preseason for stepping onto the field during a field goal attempt. "You find yourself sometimes running down the sideline on the white, but nevertheless, youre not even supposed to be even on the white because the officials have to have access there," Coughlin said. "That is a most difficult thing to absorb." Tomlins players leapt to his defence in the immediate aftermath, and safety Ryan Clark allowed he is "always on the field." The 12-yeear veteran, however, is hardly surprised the NFL is considering taking an extra step of stripping the Steelers of a draft pick.dddddddddddd "Its not supposed to be fair," Clark said. "Its Roger Goodell, so when has he been fair?" Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesnt believe Tomlins near-trip will serve as a distraction for Pittsburgh (5-7), which remains in the playoff hunt as December begins despite an 0-4 start. "If anything, guys joke about it more," Roethlisberger said. "Theyre the ones pulling up the pictures online and joking with coach about something. If anything maybe its a light-hearted fun thing." The league will not determine whether to take a pick away from Pittsburgh until after the draft order has been set. It would be an unprecedented move for a coach getting involved during a live play. The NFL fined the New York Jets $100,000 in 2010 when cameras caught strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi tripping a Miami player on the sideline. Alosi was suspended by the Jets and eventually resigned after the season. Tomlin is hardly in danger of losing his job, and said Tuesday he had not spoken to team owners Dan and Art Rooney II about the situation. "I would imagine if the Rooneys thought that I was capable of that or they thought my intentions were that, I wouldnt be sitting at this table talking to you guys," he said. Tomlin makes $5.25 million a season and the fine constitutes less than 2 per cent of his annual salary. He can absorb the relatively small financial hit. Hes far more concerned about the uncomfortable position he put the league and the Steelers in after failing to get out of the way with any sense of urgency. "I will take this as an opportunity to strenuously defend the game of football and the NFL. I wont defend myself," Tomlin said. "The people that know me, I dont need to do that. The people that dont know me, they are going to make their judgments any way." Tomlins predecessor, Bill Cowher, raised eyebrows but not the ire of the commissioners office in 1997 when he feigned tackling Jacksonvilles Chris Hudson as Hudson ran back a Pittsburgh field goal attempt for a touchdown on the final play of a 30-21 Jaguars victory. While Tomlin has no plans to change the way he goes about his business, he plans to do a better job of policing himself. The 41-year-old understands this will stick with him once the furor dies down. His goal is to make sure it doesnt stain the team as well. "The only thing we can control is our preparation and ultimately our play this week," he said. "Thats the now and whats immediately ahead of us. I try to relay that sentiment and attitude to our team, and I think its something they embrace." ' ' '