Alabama, starting before the half. Back

Hang a 75-pound weight from his waist and Georges St-Pierre will happily do one chin-up after another. The mixed martial arts star never takes a step back, always looking for an edge, be it working with elite gymnasts or sprinters. But St-Pierres biggest strength is also his biggest weakness. "Im completely obsessed," he said of the way he approaches each fight. When a grain of doubt enters his mind, the beast in the gym becomes brittle. And on Friday, a shopping list of distractions finally took their toll on one of Canadas most famous athletes. Citing the pressures of being champion and of being in a constant limelight, St-Pierre said his life has become "completely insane" and a "freaking zoo." Admitting he was no longer up for the rigours of fighting in a cage, the UFCs pay-per-view king vacated his welterweight title and announced a hiatus from the sport. St-Pierre (25-2) also cited personal issues, which he declined to detail. But clearly they have obscured his obsessive focus in a sport whose athletes spend months preparing for fights. "Physically Im 100 per cent, Im still young, Im on top of the world," the 32-year-old from Montreal told a media conference call. "But mentally I just feel like I cannot go through another training camp right now and I dont know when I will be able to." UFC president Dana White said No. 1 contender Johny (Bigg Rigg) Hendricks will fight No. 3 (Ruthless) Robbie Lawler for the title on March 15 in Dallas. "I think this is the right move for Georges St-Pierre," said White. "You can hear by listening to him hes got a lot of issues personally that he needs to deal with." St-Pierre had cast doubt about his future last month following UFC 167, a controversial split decision win over Hendricks, when he said he needed time away from the sport to sort out some personal issues. That enraged White, who did not like the idea of one of his biggest assets walking away -- especially in the aftermath of a controversial decision. But White calmed down after talking to St-Pierre later that night. And on Friday, he continued to downplay the drama. "At the end of the day, its really not that big of a deal. The guys got some things that he needs to deal with. He was classy enough to say Im not going to jam up the 170-pound division while I deal with these things, Im going to step aside and handle myself and then Ill be back." In the wake of the Hendricks fight, a TMZ report said the champion was dealing with a family illness and a personal issue. White later told The Canadian Press that St-Pierre had told him the report was not true. St-Pierre loosened up during Fridays call, joking with reporters that they were not going to get anything personal from him. "Im going to take a break. I need this," he said Friday. "I need to have a normal life for a bit. Ill feel better and come back stronger." Having a normal life was a theme repeated throughout the conference call. Asked what he wants to get away from, St-Pierre said he loves his sport. "As much as I choose to do it, now I choose to not do it." He said he expects to be back, although he sounded far from certain. "I dont know when, I dont know if, I think I will (be back) I cant say 100 per cent. But right now I just dont want people thinking about me." Press tours, cameras and trash-talking were some of the things he said he needed to avoid. St-Pierre was somewhat vague about a comeback. "I believe one day I will come back. The problem is I dont know how long (I will be away)." He said he has already conquered Everest three times before, when he lost to Matt Hughes (in 2004) and Matt (The Terror) Serra (in 2007) and when he came back (in 2012) from knee surgery. "And if I have to do a fourth time, believe me, I feel like Im, going to do it." White, who explained GSPs UFC contract was considered frozen, said he believed St-Pierre will be back. St-Pierre exits ranked second to light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones in the UFCs pound-for-pound rankings. White called St-Pierre "the greatest welterweight ever" and "the gold standard in everything." "And as far as working with us, theres nobody better. If I had 475 guys like Georges St-Pierre, my life would be a lot easier." A gentleman outside the cage who shares little of his personal life, St-Pierre has always taken his responsibilities seriously. In 2008, he missed an interview session with a visiting reporter who was left standing outside a Montreal gym. His manager at the time advised that St-Pierre had suffered a minor injury earlier in the day and had forgotten about his interview with the reporter. The journalist told the manager not to worry, given they had already had a previously scheduled appointment for the next day. St-Pierre, however, had a different idea. He drove to the gym to collect the reporter and took him out for dinner to do the interview. Then he drove the reporter to his hotel, apologizing again for having been late. While other fighters wore T-shirts and sweats, St-Pierre -- taking a page from some champion boxers -- always wore a suit for his post-fight news conferences. St-Pierre, who said he will keep training, has no need to fight again. He has made millions and made a point of looking after his family when the cheques started coming in. One of his first duties as champion was to pay off the mortgages of his parents and sisters. The UFC is wasting no time getting round to the post-GSP era. Carlos Condit is currently ranked No. 2 among welterweight contenders but he has lost to both St-Pierre and Hendricks. And White noted that Lawler just beat Canadian contender and GSP training partner Rory (Ares) MacDonald. "Not to mention the fact that theres not doubt that the Robbie Lawler-Johny Hendricks fight is going to be an absolute gunfight." White said Condit may also be on the Dallas card. Condit was previously due to fight Matt (The Immortal) Brown until Brown was sidelined by a back injury. As champion, St-Pierre has worn a target on his back since he first won the title in 2006. "The situation Im at, its a lot of pressure," he said. "Its like every fight Im carrying weight on my shoulder. Every fight, its like you add weight on your shoulder. Every fight. "At one point it comes so heavy that I have a hard time carrying it myself." St-Pierre has survived turmoil throughout his career. He lost his championship belt in his first title defence before winning it back. And he has endured a string of injuries, including knee reconstruction surgery in December 2011. That prompted the UFC to pit Condit against Nick Diaz for the interim title. Condit won but was beaten by St-Pierre when the champion returned to action at UFC 154 in November 2012. St-Pierre was the first Canadian to hold a UFC title since Carlos (Ronin) Newton, who held the welterweight crown for seven months in 2001 before losing it to Matt Hughes. St-Pierre lost to Hughes, now a member of the UFC Hall of Fame, in a title bout at UFC 50 in 2004 but won the rematch at UFC 65 in November 2006 to claim the championship belt. His initial reign at champion was short-lived. Beset by family illness and lacking focus, GSP was upset by Matt (The Terror) Serra in his first title defence at UFC 69 in April 2007. GSP fights as he prepares. A good camp equals a good performance. He paid a heavy price for a bad one. St-Pierre retooled, changing his management and revamping his coaching staff. "I truly believe that this loss is probably the best thing that ever happened to me," he said at the time. At the suggestion of a sports psychologist, he carried a brick around with Serras name inscribed on it. Then he threw it in the chilly waters of Montreals South Shore to bury the memory of the Serra loss. St-Pierre has not lost since. He won his title back from Serra three fights later in commanding fashion, at UFC 83 in Montreal in April 2008. The decision over Hendricks was a record 19th win in the UFC for St-Pierre, moving him past Hughes at 18. It also extended his string of victories to 12, the longest current run in the UFC. The Hendricks victory also moved GSP past former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for most wins in UFC title bouts at 12. St-Pierre holds the record for career fight time in the UFC at five hours 28 minutes 12 seconds. He also owns the UFC mark for most championship rounds fought (52). UFC 167 was St-Pierres 14th championship fight, one behind Randy Couture. St-Pierre also leads the UFC records in total strikes landed, significant strikes landed, takedowns landed and takedown accuracy rate, according to FightMetric. "Im content," he said of his legacy. St-Pierre is not the first UFC champion to give up their title. Tim Sylvia voluntarily gave up the heavyweight championship belt in 2003 when he tested positive for steroids, which was a pre-emptive strike to being stripped. Bas Rutten gave up his heavyweight title in 1999 to campaign as a light-heavyweight. Injuries forced him to retire soon after. Frank Shamrock voluntarily vacated his title in 1999 and retired, although he later returned to action outside the UFC. Nike Flyknit Cheap Online . Vargas (8-3) allowed four singles and two walks while striking out five, allowing only two runners from a diluted Twins lineup to reach second base. Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson hit RBI singles in the second inning against Kevin Correia (4-10), and that was all Vargas needed. Nike Flyknit Wholesale .Lets go back to the Avs, who have become one of the funnest teams to watch in this years playoffs. http://www.nikeflyknitclearance.com/ . According the CSNBayArea.com, the 31-year-old suffered an ACL injury in his right knee on Friday when he collided with Anaheims Emerson Etem during a pre-season game. Nike Flyknit Shoes Clearance . Then Klay Thompson put his foot on the gas. Thompson scored 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and Harrison Barnes scored 14 points in his season debut to help the Golden State Warriors to a 106-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Nike Flyknit Shoes On Sale . -- When the Los Angeles Kings are on top of their formidable defensive game, they revel in the silence they can create in a frustrated road arena.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The ball seldom hit the ground, regardless of which Alabama quarterback was throwing the passes. The top-ranked Crimson Tides defence also held its third straight opponent out of the end zone. AJ McCarron completed 15 of 16 passes for 166 yards and four touchdowns in the first half and Alabama was brutally efficient in rolling to a 45-3 victory over Georgia State on Saturday. "Thats what we were looking for," Tide wide receiver DeAndrew White said. "We try to play a perfect game. Special teams, offence, defence coming together, thats what we want." The Tide (5-0) jumped ahead 38-0 by halftime in what might have turned into a name-your-score game against the Panthers (0-5), a first-year Football Bowl Subdivision team. McCarron led Alabama to touchdowns on each of his five possessions before leaving and set the school record for completion percentage in a game with a minimum of 15 passes. He completed his first 12 passes, putting him in a three-way tie for the Tides third-longest streak. The four touchdown passes matched his career high and was the seventh time McCarron has reached that number. Alabama outgained the Panthers 477-175 and held them to 15 yards on 22 rushes. Tide coach Nick Sabans summation of the offence: "I thought our efficiency was really good." The defence was equally effective. Alabama has allowed only three field goals in the past three games. "Its a lot of pride," safety Landon Collins said. "Thats our defence. Thats what we live upon. Thats what we pride (ourselves) on: No offence can score on us, and thats what we try to do every game we come into." Georgia State ended Alabamas bid for a second straight shutout with Wil Lutzs school-record 53-yard field goal to cap the second halfs opening drive. Ronnie Bells 34-yard pass to Albert Wilson put the Panthers across midfield for the first time and helped set up the score. Bell completed 11 of 20 passes for 146 yards. Albert Wilson gained 60 yards on four catches. "They did a great job of doing what they wanted to do, when they wanted to do it," Georgia State coach Trent Miles said. "I thought our young men competed hard. When youre playinng the No.dddddddddddd 1 team in the nation at their place and youre a major underdog, you cant help them and we went out there and helped them early in the game. We went out and fumbled a kickoff return, we missed tackles, and we had some young guys not line up right. "Im not sure if they were nervous or what, but it just made their job a little easier." Collins started in place of Tide safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. He reportedly accepted a short-term loan from an assistant, but the stars absence wasnt a problem in the mismatch. Clinton-Dixs status remains uncertain for next weeks game at Kentucky. "I dont have any new information and when we get new information, well certainly pass it along to you," Saban said. The Tide scored on every possession until freshman sub Adam Griffith missed a 30-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and only punted once. Numerous subs played on both sides of the ball for Alabama, starting before the half. Backup quarterback Blake Sims wasnt far behind McCarrons accuracy. He completed 14 of 18 passes for 130 yards and his second career touchdown, a 10-yard pass to Chris Black that was the games final score with 6:18 left in the third quarter. Alabama scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, capping it with Whites one-handed grab for an 11-yard scoring catch one play after the Tide recovered a fumbled punt return. Backup tailback Kenyan Drake added a 23-yard catch on a swing pass early in the second quarter. He bounced off a defender near the line of scrimmage and dove into end zone. Starter T.J. Yeldon ran for 28 yards on the games first play and finished with six carries for 51 yards. Drake finished with five carries for 40 yards. Freshman Derrick Henry gained 50 yards on five carries. Alabama freshman defensive end AShawn Robinson made his first career start in place of Jeoffrey Pagan (shoulder), but plenty of other youngsters and reserves saw significant action. The defence didnt miss a beat. "They got to the ball very fast, which got us to play faster," Bell said. "So when we get into competition with the Sun Belt, then well play faster." ' ' '