CALGARY -- Unlike her two previous Olympic Games, Mellisa Hollingsworth heads to Sochi, Russia, less of a favourite and more an underdog. Cheap Carl Nicks Jersey . Shes fine with that. Hollingsworth, from Eckville, Alta., joined Sarah Reid and John Fairbairn of Calgary and Eric Neilson of Kelowna, B.C., as the first skeleton racers named to Canadas 2014 Olympic team Wednesday. Another man and woman may be added to the skeleton team in January. Reid, Fairbairn and Neilson are Olympic rookies. The 33-year-old Hollingsworth says her third Winter Games will be her last and she does not intend to bow out quietly. "Im definitely ready to step up to the plate," she declared. "Im still striving. Im not there to participate, Ill tell you that." Hollingsworth owns over 30 world championship and World Cup medals. The last time many Canadians saw her, Hollingsworth was tearfully apologizing on national television for finishing fifth in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hollingsworth won a bronze medal in 2006, so the pressure to win a medal at home was enormous. Heading to Sochi, shes felt empowered by Canadians reactions to her public despair almost four years ago. "I feel a lot stronger from that experience," she said. "A lot of that has come from Canadas support of people not throwing me under the bus for not winning a medal at those Olympics. "That was a big eye-opener to know people are still behind you because of your character and not necessarily your result. Thats my definition of success right there." Hollingsworth was informed Sunday by head coach Duff Gibson, the 2006 Olympic mens champion, that she was going to Sochi. She won silver at the 2012 world championship, but felt short of the criteria for automatic nomination to the 2014 Olympic team. Reid and Neilson both met the standard of four top-six World Cup results last season and in the first half of this season. Fairbairn earned Canadas second male spot because he is currently Canadas top-ranked male in the spot. Hollingsworth ranked No. 2 among Canadian women behind Reid to earn the second female berth. "Sure, its not the way I came in every other Olympic year kind of on fire and leading the World Cup standings, but then again at those Olympics Games I didnt achieve what we thought I could," Hollingsworth explained. "I won an Olympic medal in Torino, but I was expected to win gold. Same thing in Vancouver." Canada had to rank among the top two countries in womens skeleton and in the top three in mens skeleton on Jan. 19 in order to qualify a third sled for both sexes. Defending Olympic mens champion Jon Montgomery was not among the group introduced Wednesday at a Calgary mall theatre. The Russell, Man., slider faces an uphill climb to claim the third mens berth should Canada get it. Montgomery took the 2011-12 season off from racing to build a new sled from scratch, but has yet to adjust to it and his results have suffered. Cassie Hawrysh of Brandon, Man., and Robynne Thompson of Calgary are in the running for the possible third position on the womens team. Reid, a bronze medallist at the 2013 world championship, and the experienced Hollingsworth are Canadas best chances to continue the countrys run of Olympic medals in the sport. Hollingsworth also tried a new sled this season that did not work for her. She didnt qualify at fall selection trials for Canadas World Cup team and opened the season on the secondary Intercontinental Cup circuit. When she had the opportunity to race a recent World Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., Hollingsworth got back on the sled shed been on for a decade and a half and finished eighth. "I was doing everything possible to get on some new equipment and get onto that state of flow on a new sled and it just did not work for me," she explained. "I spent 15 years of my life learning the ins and outs of that sled that its become an appendage, another part of my body. I went to Lake Placid and felt like me again. This is the first time since the world championships in 2012 that Ive been this confident or this comfortable on my sled." For that reason, shes hoping to build momentum in the four World Cup races before the Sochi Games in February. "Im the strongest and the fastest Ive ever been," Hollingsworth said. "Im pushing a sled very, very well and now Im confident in my sled that I have, the old sled and knowing it can still go fast. "Ive got four more opportunities to see where things can go result-wise, but it really doesnt matter. What matters is Sochi." Cheap Mike Alstott Jersey . Canada dropped a 24-21 decision to Zimbabwe before bouncing back with a 10-7 win over Spain. All three sides finished with seven points apiece in Pool E to move on to the final eight while the Philippines was last with only three points. Cheap Mike Evans Jersey . "Our level of work has to go up," said Carlyle on Thursday. "Weve stated that and weve (told) our players that the message is going to start to be delivered in a different manner if were not going to get the results that were looking for.TORONTO - Moments after the Raptors storybook regular season came to an end, losing a meaningless game to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Wednesday, Kyle Lowry addressed his teammates in the visitors dressing room. Turning the page, the focus immediately shifted to the challenge that lay ahead of them, their most arduous test yet and one many of them have only dreamt of, heard about or watched on television. With the battle-tested Brooklyn Nets looming - their first playoff game set to tip-off early Saturday afternoon - the Raptors are leaning on their veterans, on Lowry, his experience and leadership. What did he say to rally his troops ahead of the crucial preparation stage that precedes a postseason series? "Thats for me and my guys to know," he said, chatty as ever. "Kyle came in here, hes been in the playoffs, and told us it starts [Thursday]," DeMar DeRozan clarified, offering a little more insight. "[Thursday] morning, as soon as we come to work its going to start there - studying, understanding what they run, their tendencies." As youve probably heard by now, the Raptors are a young, inexperienced team. Theyve heard about too, its the narrative that drives this series. Lowry and Amir Johnson account for all 24 games of playoff experience in the Raptors starting lineup. Neither have been to the dance in five years, neither have ever started a postseason game. Meanwhile the Nets starters have played in 399 postseason games. They have six players who have logged more than twice as many playoff minutes as any Raptor. Theyll be reminded of it over and over again for two weeks and then, should they advance to round two, itll be revisited once again. They cant run from it, not until they prove its a non-factor, but give them credit for the effort. "I mean, it aint like its rocket science or nothing," said DeRozan, asked about making his playoff debut on Saturday. "Everybody keeps talking to me like, bringing it up like its rocket science or Ive got to know trigonometry or something. You just figure it out. You just go out there. Ive been playing this game long enough, Ive been in the league long enough, been in a lot of situations. So it shouldnt be hard." He has a point. Playoff basketball is still basketball, after all. The game is the same; its the stage that changes. The stakes that are higher and the room for error is narrowed. Some adjust to it better than others. "Everythings at stake so youve just got to be ready for everything," the all-star guard acknowledged. "I think Ive watched enough playoff basketball to see how physical it is and to see how things go. Even superstar players dont get calls out there. So Im conscious of it. Im not naive of anything. Now Im in a position to go through it myself." That heightened, more physically punishing brand of basketball has burned Raptors stars of the past. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Chris Bosh all shot below 40 per cent in their first playoff series, with Carter barely breaking the 30 per cent barrier and scoring six points fewer than his average that season. "Its a different level," said Dwane Casey, who will be making his playoff debut as a head coach after winning a title as an assistant in Dallas. "Its a different level in intensity, moore physicality, less fouls called. Cheap Keith Tandy Jersey. Youve got to play through it and thats one thing that theyll learn. The only way you can do that, though, is to go through it." "I dont want to overhype it to scare our guys. Its still basketball but guys will see the difference, theyll feel that as soon as they walk on the court." Along with DeRozan, sophomores Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross, as well as fourth-year forward Patrick Patterson are among the teams rotation players who have yet to experience playoff basketball. How big of a role does experience play in the postseason? Given the staggering discrepancy between the two teams, this series could solve that query as much or more than any other in recent memory. Theres no telling how Torontos players might react to the adjustments theyll have to make, both in terms of their mental approach and on-court toughness, but they wont have the luxury of a grace period, not against the team theyre up against. The Raptors cant afford to ease their way in, hosting games one and two at the Air Canada Centre - where they won 22 of their final 29 contests - before the series shifts to Brooklyns Barclays Center, a building the Nets have dominated in since Jan. 1. The most promising quality the Raptors players displayed following Thursday afternoons practice was fearlessness. Theyre not the least bit shaken by the Nets, their experience or the theory that they may have been at the top of Brooklyns postseason wish list. "I mean, were all in the same league, man," DeRozan said. "Honestly, thats how I look at it, man. Credit to them, they did what they did but we play against guys who are experienced all season, honestly." As DeRozan has pointed out, their young legs may also be beneficial against an older, slower club. Although they rank towards the bottom of the league in fast break points - just marginally ahead of the Nets - the Raptors have been able to get out and run against Brooklyn this season. However, the spaced out schedule - with their first four games spanning nine days - at least appears to favour the veteran Nets, who will get a chance to recharge their batteries following each contest, a concern Patterson expressed on Thursday. Torontos true advantage my lie in their size and strength up front, if they choose to utilize it. The Nets turned around their once disastrous season in part by featuring their small lineup, with two point guards in the backcourt and Paul Pierce at the four spot. Although closing out on Brooklyns shooters and defending Pierce on the perimeter presents a challenge in and of itself, they were ranked second to last in rebounding and the Raptors bested them on the boards by 19 this year. Kevin Garnett, who played in just two of the four meetings this season, is nearing his NBA swan song but is still a difference maker defensively and on the glass when hes on the court. The Raptors could force the issue by attacking the paint, putting pressure of Garnett and the Nets frontcourt, void of a true shot blocking presence. "We know who the match-ups are," Casey said. "Weve just got to take it and dissect it and take advantage of the things we have an advantage in, which is our speed, athleticism and our energy. Weve got to keep a fast tempo in the game." ' ' '
