GENEVA -- After declaring FIFAs image crisis over four months ago, questions are being raised about Gianni Infantino as he heads to world soccers next big election.The FIFA president will be a guest in Athens on Wednesday as his former UEFA colleagues vote to replace Michel Platini, who was ousted after the FIFA ethics committee banned him for taking a $2 million payment from Sepp Blatter.The favorite to become the next UEFA president is Aleksander Ceferin of Slovenia, who was so little known before the campaign that many wonder if Infantino and his staff have intervened to support him. Ceferin will be up against UEFA vice president Michael van Praag of the Netherlands, an outspoken critic of Blatter in recent years.I am neutral. The FIFA president is neutral in any election at confederation level, Infantino said. This is very clear.Infantino said his staff also has not acted, dismissing reports in Dutch and Scandinavian media that one of his FIFA advisers, who is from Norway, has lobbied for Ceferin. Van Praag reportedly sought a meeting in May in Milan to ask Infantino if he had chosen sides.Ceferins campaign for UEFA president emerged in May, soon after Infantino joined his former UEFA colleagues on a trip to Slovenia to open a national soccer center. Weeks later, FIFA appointed Tomaz Vesel as an independent auditor overseeing its billion-dollar annual income -- and Infantinos salary and bonuses. Vesel is also from Slovenia and plays on a veterans soccer team with Ceferin.Mark Pieth, a former FIFA reform adviser, said he was skeptical of claims that Infantino has changed the FIFA culture after years of scandal and murky decision-making.There is no `new FIFA, Pieth told The Associated Press. Its a bit of a variation on what we have been used to. Here, its blatant cronyism.UEFA is the richest and most influential of soccers six continental bodies. It organizes the Champions League, which showcases most of the worlds best players. The European Championship draws a global TV audience for the final that is more than double that of the Super Bowl.The next UEFA president will serve the final 2+ years of Platinis term. The winner also becomes a FIFA vice president, helps shape strategy in the FIFA Council, and supports Infantino in urgent rulings made by the confederation heads.Infantino came to power after a cycle of turmoil that started in May 2015 when American and Swiss federal authorities revealed an investigation into bribery and corruption. A generation of FIFA leaders were removed from office, including Blatter and one-time protege Platini.Van Praag, a former club president of four-time European champion Ajax, is an election veteran compared to Ceferin. He opposed Blatter for the FIFA presidency in 2015, defying a UEFA strategy to unseat the incumbent but struggled to get support from his colleagues. He withdrew days before the vote, leaving Prince Ali of Jordan as the sole challenger.Ceferin, a criminal lawyer, joined the board of Olimpija Ljubljana before being elected Slovenian soccer federation president in 2011. He later joined the FIFA disciplinary committee.The 48-year-old Ceferin is untainted by FIFAs past excesses, but his clear link to Vesel, the governing bodys new audit and compliance committee chairman, has caused concern.FIFA rules state the job of overseeing how it earns and spends its World Cup revenue can only go to a person with no material financial relationship to a member federation. It was done until May by Domenico Scala, a pharmaceutical industry executive who resigned amid disputes with Infantino, including a no-bonus rule for the president.Vesel, however, could within days be responsible for setting the FIFA salary of his teammate on the soccer team in the Slovene capital.Pieth, a compliance expert, said the Slovenia link was less camouflaged than in the Blatter era.There is a personal friendship, Pieth told the AP. Theres not a general rule against that kind of thing but its simple patronage. Its clear.Infantino dismissed such doubts when asked if the institutional independence of Vesel, Slovenias state auditor, could be compromised by his connection to Ceferin.Everyone plays football, everybody loves football, Infantino said last week. Its good that people (who) love football work in football as well.I just hope that the one who will be elected will work in a positive way with me as well, Infantino added. A strong FIFA needs a strong UEFA. Air Max 270 Burgundy .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. Air Max 270 Light Bone . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. http://www.cheapairmax270react.com/air-max-270-react-university-red-fake.html . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Air Max 270 Black And Orange . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Air Max 270 React Metallic Gold . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. ARLINGTON, Texas -- If New York Giants?receiver Victor Cruz had drawn up a storybook return, it mightve looked something like what unfolded in Sundays opener against the Dallas Cowboys.Cruz scored the winning touchdown for the Giants in a 20-19 victory over their NFC East rivals at AT&T Stadium. He renewed the tradition of dancing the salsa in the end zone after a score, and catching big passes from quarterback Eli Manning when the Giants needed them most.After 700 days, Cruz finally returned to a regular-season game after knee and calf injuries kept him out of the Giants previous 26 games. For it to end the way it did, it was almost surreal. Even Cruz couldnt believe it.No, to be honest with you, he said. But Im excited to have the opportunity, just excited the way my life is unfolding here. I dont even know what kind of ending its going to have.The Giants (1-0) won, Cruz scored in his return and, for one night at least, all was right in the Big Blue universe.Cruz finished with four catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in his return. Finally, the Giants got a real taste of what they may receive on the field from the former Pro Bowl receiver.I was excited for him. Not just for the touchdown, but just being out there today [and] catching some passes and being in the mix, doing his deal, Manning said. So thats good for us that he can come back and make plays. He has so much experience at finding windows, finding lanes and getting back to where hes comfortable catching balls and making guys miss. Thats big for this team. Im excited for him from the standpoint that its been a long time for him, almost 700 days since his last game. Thats pretty special for him to get the game-winning touchdown in this game. ... Hes looking good, looking like his old self, and thats big for us.Its also important for Cruz. Even though he claims to have never doubted the return would happen, he knows the opportunity is special. There arent many skill-position players who have missed almost two full seasons (especially after tearing their patellar tendon) and returned to any significant degree of success.Cruz, 29, not only made it back, but he managed to score a touchdown the Giants desperately needed to give them the lead with 6:13 remaining in the contest.Just to overcome so much, man, just to get to this momennt.ddddddddddddA lot of people go through injuries and dont get this moment. They dont get this opportunity to get back, to reclaim what they once were and what they once had, Cruz said. Just to get this moment again is one of the biggest things for me and one of the biggest obstacles for me to cross, and Im just excited to be here and flourish.The Giants are ecstatic to have him back, and it meant something to see one of their longest-tenured players with that trademark smile on his face.So awesome. He had a rough run the past two years. To see him come through like that at the end, the entire game, its a great feeling, said veteran long-snapper Zak DeOssie, a close friend of Cruzs. Id be happy for anyone, but for him to make that big-time play, its just awesome.Cruz told DeOssie the salsa dance he did in the end zone while wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. pretended to snap a picture was one of the best hell ever do. Cruz told him he put extra pizzazz into it.This came after Cruz found a hole in the Cowboys defense while Manning began to navigate the pocket. Cruz caught the 3-yard touchdown pass and went into full-out dance mode. It appeared so natural it was almost as if hed been practicing.Its in the blood, Cruz said. It doesnt go anywhere. Its like riding a bike.But there were points throughout the past two years (including this summer) when nobody knew if hed ever really have the opportunity to dance in an end zone in a real NFL game. Manning admitted Cruz had a setback in the spring and there was a groin injury that slowed him this summer.The Giants threw Cruz right back into the mix the week of the third preseason game with an eye on this Sept. 11 opener against the Cowboys.We built Victor up to a point where he felt he could play a full game for us, coach Ben McAdoo said. Im sure hes excited. Im excited for him.Cruz played almost every offensive snap for the Giants on Sunday. He caught all four passes thrown in his direction. He scored a touchdown. He danced the salsa. It was a successful return in almost every way imaginable, and it felt great, Cruz said. Even if he had to wait a year longer than he wanted, the return was even better than he imagined. ' ' '