TORONTO - He didnt talk about the Vatican of hockey. Dave Henderson Jersey . He didnt mention the centre of the hockey universe. He shied away from dream job talk. He didnt wax on about pugnacity, testosterone, truculence, or belligerence. He didnt lay out his vision for how his Toronto Maple Leafs would play or what ailed them this past season and in seasons before. "Im not here today for big speeches, big words, big proclamations," Brendan Shanahan said Monday morning from the Air Canada Centre. "Today is my first day at work and theres a lot of work to be done." It was more than five and a half years ago that the Maple Leafs hired Brian Burke to change the "culture" of an organization which had veered further and further off the rails toward an eventual Stanley Cup. But unlike the bombastic Burke on that excitable day in Nov. 2008, the new President and alternate governor in Toronto made few bold statements or declarations. "This is the time for me to start learning about the organization from top to bottom," he said. "Its a time for me to listen, to learn and get to work and thats all thats really worked for me in my career. Its whats worked for me when I was done playing hockey and thats what I intend to do here." Tim Leiweke, the President and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, says he hired the 45-year-old to become the leader of the hockey team in Toronto - a presence he was unfit to fill - to instill an identity, to become the culture, heart, soul and character of the organization. He spoke glowingly of Shanahans track record - both as a player and in the league office - his leadership skills as a player for 21 seasons, his first-hand familiarity with winning cultures in Detroit and New Jersey, his passion, his work ethic, his analytical skills and his knowledge of the game. And with that full faith came final authority on all hockey and business matters. "I couldnt find anyone to say anything bad about him," Leiweke said of fact-finding conversations which came to include Ken Holland, Lou Lamiorello and Luc Robitaille. "…what everyone talks about is the man fights," Leiweke said, selling his new management piece with vigour. "He fought as a player. He fought for the union (during the second NHL lockout). He fought for the game. And now he fights for the integrity of the league. Now he comes here to fight for the Leafs. And the one thing I know about Shanny is hes going to fight for us every day. He may be analytical, he may be patient, he may not knee-jerk, but in that heart beats a man that is extremely committed to winning and doing whatever is necessary." Whatever credentials Shanahan may boast as a former player (three Stanley Cups) and league disciplinarian, he lacks the same in actual front office experience - an obvious source of skepticism for the hiring. A growing trend in the NHL has seen teams sweep up former star players for management roles to only middling success. Maybe the most recent example of disappointment saw local legend Pat Lafontaine plucked for a senior position in Buffalo only to depart less than four months later. Brett Hull, also of limited experience, was brought back to Dallas and eventually named co-general manager. He lasted less than two seasons and now works in St. Louis. Those that found success in the transition typically gained experience before eventually ascending to the type of role Shanahan has inherited in Toronto. Steve Yzerman toiled in the Red Wings front office, also managing Team Canada at the Worlds and Olympics before becoming the Lightning GM. Cam Neely was a vice-president for a few years before he was promoted to team president. Joe Sakic, now the overseer of all hockey matters in Colorado, joined the club initially as an advisor and alternate governor. Because of that inexperience its difficult to project which direction Shanahan will take the Leafs. Will he try to follow Hollands philosophy in Detroit - skill over brawn - or lean in the direction of what Lamiorello built in New Jersey - a stifling defensive system - or try something different entirely? Above all, he said hed be open to new ideas, even spending his flight to Toronto reading all about the merits of Corsi and Fenwick (analytical tools for measuring the game). Learning the business side of the game under the tutelage of Gary Bettman in his past business role with the NHL, Shanahan also was keen as a player, claiming to have picked the brains of superiors like Holland, Lamoriello, Glen Sather and Jim Rutherford. "I was always curious from their perspective, the difficulties and the challenges of operating and running a team," he said. "He was like a sponge and he took it all in," Leiweke claimed. Shanahans more recent gig as the leagues head of discipline offered opportunity, additionally, at the centre of controversy - something hell become familiar with in a hurry with the Leafs. "I had a job in which everyone questioned my decisions, everybody thought they knew better than us, they second-guessed everything we did and didnt like us," Shanahan said. "So now I get to come do this." Leiweke was blunt that the Leafs pre-Shanahan were lacking in direction, lacking in identity and lacking the culture of a winner - damning with Dave Nonis seated just a short distance to his left. He wanted someone to change that, much in the way, he said, that Masai Ujiri has quickly altered the course of the Raptors - though he failed to mention good fortune in that case, notably with the unexpected post Rudy Gay-trade ascension and emphatic growth of Kyle Lowry. Burke, too, talked about culture when he first landed from Anaheim, harshly critical of a "blue and white disease" that he felt had infected the club. He tried to change that and ran out of time. He also could not deliver the nasty, black and blue squad he imagined on the day of his arrival all too long ago. Shanahan wouldnt stray down a similar path as far as bold proclamations and statements were concerned on this day. If anything, it seems he aimed to undersell and over-deliver. He wouldnt get into what his vision for the club would be, wouldnt say what went wrong this year - he didnt feel it was his place - detailing instead his immediate plans, which included a full review of the coaching staff, roster, management team, and farm system, all to be done with his standing general manager, Nonis. "It would be premature for me to tell you right now where were going to go," Shanahan said. "Were going to work together to try to find the right answers together," Nonis added. "If we have questions or concerns were going to work them out, but at the end of the day Brendans the boss. He runs this team." How the dynamic between Shanahan and Nonis plays out remains of some intrigue and uncertainty. Its uncertain how much of a say Shanahan will have in the day-to-day operations of the team and more broadly speaking, how strong an influence hell exert over the bigger picture and to what effect. What direction he wants to take the Leafs wasnt immediately clear nor was how that approach will jive with that of Nonis, who helped build the current group, formerly as the No. 2 under Burke and eventual No. 1 until Mondays present. In terms of shifting the identity and culture of the Leafs, Shanahan will have to start with Randy Carlyle, quickly determining whether he is, in fact, the right head coach to guide the push forward. Though Carlyle found some success with the group in the lockout-shortened 2013, his message never seemed to hit home this season, culminating in all too familiar collapse. Both Shanahan and Nonis said all the right things as to Carlyles prowess as a coach, but neither would rightly commit to his future. Beyond the urgent matter of coaching - and who might be a suitable replacement - is a roster full of questions - be it with the core group and bundle of free agents - and a draft and development system that needs refreshment and considerable improvement. A lot, quite simply, lies on the plate of the new boss with little time to learn on the job. "Winning is just a very simple solution," he said. "Were not going to win a game sitting up here today. We have to get results." Reggie Jackson Jersey . Paire broke Giraldo twice and lost his serve once in both sets to wrap up the win in 1 hour, 10 minutes. He will next face Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, who advanced when Jurgen Zopp of Estonia retired with an injury at 5-5 in the first set. Rollie Fingers Jersey . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. http://www.authenticbaseshopathletics.com/Terry-Steinbach-Jersey/ . -- All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham and the New Orleans Saints met Tuesday for arbitration on his contract.(SportsNetwork.com) - If you really are what your record says you are, the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears both have to come to grips with the fact that neither is a very good football team. One, however, can change that narrative over the final three weeks of the regular season. The other seems to fall deeper into the abyss every day. Both the Bears and Saints fashioned themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders before the season but now find themselves mired in identical 5-8 disasters in advance of their Monday Night Football matchup. New Orleans, however, remains relevant due to circumstance, the fact they play in the miserable NFC South. The Saints are actually tied atop the division with Atlanta, although the Falcons have the inside track because of a perfect mark inside the South. Carolina remains in the mix also at 4-8-1 after drubbing NOLA in Week 14. None of that should deter the Saints, however, because New Orleans hosts Atlanta on Dec. 21, meaning it controls its own destiny. The eventual NFC South winner is already guaranteed to become just the fifth division champion with a non-winning record after a 16-game season and could become the second with a losing record, joining the 2010 Seattle Seahawks. The only reason were sitting here still with that small sliver of hope is just because the way the division has unfolded this year, Saints coach Sean Payton admitted. Chicago, on the other hand, is 5-8 just like New Orleans but its season is done as the Bears are in last place in the NFC North entering Week 15, behind 10-3 Green Bay, 9-4 Detroit and 6-7 Minnesota. The Saints had a chance to seize control of their fate in Week 14 but responded by laying an egg in the form of a 41-10 setback at the hands of the Panthers, their fourth straight defeat at the Superdome, a place where New Orleans used to be dominant. The now-injured Cam Newton had a hand in four of Carolinas five touchdowns in that one. Conversely, Drew Brees was contained for most of the contest, throwing for 235 yards and a score to Benjamin Watson as New Orleans dropped its fourth straight as the host for the first time since 1999 -- Mike Ditkas final season as head coach. Marques Colston totaled 72 yards on five catches, while the rushing tandem of Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas was limited to 81 yards on 15 combined carries. Id use the word frustrated, Id use the word embarrassed, to go out there as a professional football team and play that way at home, Watson said. The outplayed us, outhustled us, out-executed us. Even if we lose, it shouldnt be this lopsided with the talent we have. The Bears also think they have a lot of talent but it doesnt show up very often and called out sick again in Week 14, resulting in a 41-28 setback to Dallas at Soldier Field. Matt Forte and Jay Cutler rushed for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, cutting a 25-point Dallas lead to 10. But the Bears lost for the second week in a row after falling in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Cutler, who entered the game 2-0 against Dallas with a 138.2 rating and no interceptions, completed 32 of his 46 throws for 341 yards, one pick and touchdown passes to Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett. Id be lying to you if I said that Im OK with it, said Bears linebacker Jon Bostic. (Im) disappointed, but the fact is that heading into this game we still had a quarter of our season left so its not like we can just go out there and start feeling sorry for ourselves and saying, We didnt have the season that we wanted to have so lets just cash it in these next four games. We have a great group here, great group of men -- coaches and players -- weve just got to find a way to come together and execute and try to win some ball games and finish strong. Chicago lost much morre than a game to Dallas also, as star wide receiver Brandon Marshall was taken away from Soldier Field in an ambulance after suffering broken ribs and a lung injury in the first half. Dennis Eckersley Jersey. Marshall was officially placed on injured reserve earlier this week, ending his season with 61 passes for 721 yards, by far his lowest totals since his rookie season. The turmoil hardly ended there for the Bears as offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer reportedly apologized to his players for anonymously criticizing Cutler to NFL Media. According to the Chicago Tribune, Kromer admitted being the guy who claimed Chicago was having buyers remorse after the big-money contract proffered to Cutler in the offseason, claiming the embattled QBs inability to check out of bad plays in the running game was hamstringing the offense. I said what I had to say to the players, Kromer said, according to The Tribune. The Saints and Bears have split 26 previous regular-season meetings with New Orleans taking the last two to even the series. The teams last met in October of 2013 when Brees threw for 288 yards and two TDs as the Saints topped Chicago, 26-18, at Soldier Field. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Normally the Saints want to play at home but four straight losses at the Superdome -- the largest home skid in the Payton era -- and a Bears team that has seemingly checked out on the season make Chicago a desirable location even in December. Payton seems fed up and some reports have him walking away after the season, although hes denied those rumors and is the highest paid coach in football, meaning a divorce is not tenable. He is, however, intent on making some changes and started that process by releasing talented but troubled wide receiver Joe Morgan. Meanwhile, safety Kenny Vaccaro, a 2013 first-round pick who has had an awful sophomore campaign, is in danger of being benched, a scapegoat for a defense that has allowed 27 points or more in five straight games while surrendering nearly 500 yards per contest in the past four. Overall, the New Orleans D is 31st in football, allowing 398.7 ypg. Guys understand, hey, this is serious, Payton claimed. Its their profession. Its our profession. Its going to be our job and the leaders of this team to lead. This is exactly when you find out who your guys are. If its not happening then were going to look at other options. Despite Kromers assertions, which were amplified by the fact that the Bears have rushed for a total of 48 yards in their past two games, embattled Chicago head coach Marc Trestman is sticking with Cutler. Jay and I talk daily. I think he has a very good understanding of how we feel about him, Trestman said. Theres a lot of noise out there. Were all aware of that. All were trying to do here is to get our football team in a position that we can be better on Monday night. The Bears defense isnt much better than New Orleans, allowing an NFL-worst 29.1 points per game and giving up 377.8 ypg, tied for 28th in the league. Reports out of the Windy City say the organization has already decided to move on from defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. In his past two meetings with the Bears, Brees has completed 55-of-72 passes for 558 yards with five TDs for a 121.2 rating. OVERALL ANALYSIS Both of these teams look like their off the rails but the Saints have one thing they can lean on and thats Brees, who has continued to perform at a pretty high level despite his teams struggles. Conversely, the Bears have a head coach who looks overmatched, an offensive coordinator leaking things like a shady politician, a defensive chief on his way out the door and a quarterback whose body language ties all of that nonsense up into a bow. Sports Network predicted outcome: Saints 23, Bears 20 Jerseys From China Jerseys NFL China Jerseys NFL China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Jerseys NFL China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys ' ' '