CANBERRA, Australia - Challenged before the Asian Cup to prove it can be more than a footnote in Australias crowded sporting calendar, the national capital Canberra has responded with good attendances and an impressive audition for more prominent roles in the future. Bobby Doerr Jersey .In the leafy streets of the capital, quiet in January with the politicians on holiday, Asian footballs biggest event has taken hold. It is a payoff for organizers who took a gamble by giving Canberra — a city of around 400,000 people — seven out of the 32 games, equal to Sydney and Melbourne, cities with populations ten times as large.The national capital has a Super rugby team in the ACT Brumbies, while the Canberra Raiders are a long-term fixture in the National Rugby League, but otherwise it has little presence when it comes to national and international sporting events.In the week before kick-off, Asian Cup CEO Michael Brown drew the ire of Canberra residents by telling the city to put up or shut up and that the only way to get more sporting events was to show up to the Asian Cup.I may have upset a few people but Canberra has been amazing, Brown told Associated Press. They have talked for years about having an A-League team or a Big Bash (Twenty20 cricket) team but the only way to do that is to turn up in big numbers for the events that do come.China versus North Korea last Sunday was a virtual sell-out and there is not expected to be a spare seat for Fridays quarterfinal between Iran and Iraq. Canberra has so far averaged over 10,000 for the six games it has hosted, without yet seeing the three biggest drawing teams of the tournament: Australia, Japan and Iran.Overall, the target of 500,000 tickets sold is almost certain to be met as with eight games to go, the figure is almost at the 400,000 mark. Australia has been amazing, added Brown. We sold out Japan and Jordan, and think we will have up to eight sell-outs across five cities. The best teams have reached the quarterfinals, and with a surprise or two such as China there as well, it is a promoters dream.Nicholas Amies, 22, is a volunteer at Canberra Stadium and has enjoyed the experience of being close to the best teams in Asia and sampling the atmosphere. Its been really good so far. Attendances have been better than expected. There have been a lot of neutrals attending games, the tickets are affordable which is good for families.Attendances at stadiums may have been helped by the difficulty accessing games on television, as the tournament is on a newly launched cable channel which most homes, and even many bars, do not have.Viewing figures on the channel have been mixed. While almost 400,000 watched Australia lose to South Korea, just 26,000 saw Uzbekistan defeat Saudi Arabia 3-1 in a vital Group B decider.The local media has given a reasonable amount of prominence to the Asian Cup, even as the tournament competes against the familiar mainstays of Australian sporting summers: cricket and the Australian Open tennis.When it comes to quality on the field, the fare has been fine rather than fabulous but quarterfinals such as Australia against China and Iraq versus Iran are sure to provide drama and excitement. And then it will be time to discuss the legacy.For Canberra, it is simple: a team of its own in the countrys professional competition, the A-League, to get behind and support.It already is a football city and thats why we have seven games, said Jeremy Lasek, the CEO of the National Australia Day Council as he watched Australia defeat Oman 4-0 in a Canberra bar. We love sport. Its great to see the different cultures here and it really shows what the world game is all about. Roger Clemens Jersey . Vincent Lamar Carter is no longer the lean, athletic dynamo who dazzled Raptors fans with eye-popping dunks that posterized even the leagues best defenders. Jhoulys Chacin Jersey . The attacking midfielder arrives on a free transfer from Spains Malaga. The 28-year-old joins Scottish striker Kenny Miller and Argentine midfielder Matias Laba as designated players on the Whitecaps roster.MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens shored up their back end by acquiring veteran defenceman Mike Weaver from the Florida Panthers for a fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft. Weaver, 35, has six assists in 55 games this season but is more known for his defensive prowess. In the past, Weaver has been considered something of a specialist against Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. "If I stay out of the paper, Im doing my job," he said jokingly, as quoted by the Canadiens official website. "Im not a guy whos going to score a lot of points but I do the little things like block shots and penalty killing is my specialty. Id rather block a shot than score a goal so I guess you could say Im a goalies best friend back there." As the Panthers make moves for next season and beyond, general manager Dale Tallon was more than willing to give Weaver a shot to go to the Canadiens. "Were just looking too the future. Nathan Eovaldi Red Sox Jersey. Montreal was in need of a solid defensive defenceman, and we felt that it was a good thing for Mike Weaver to get into the playoff picture and have a good opportunity to win with Montreal," Tallon said on a conference call Tuesday night. "Hes a great warrior, played his rear end off for us every night, blocked, shots, killed penalties, so I wish him well." Weaver has played in 585 career NHL games with the Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues. This is the first time he has been traded. Its the second year in a row the Habs went for defensive depth at the blue-line. They traded a fifth-rounder last year to the Kings for Davis Drewiskie, who played nine games for Montreal to finish out the 2013 season. Weaver is in the final season of a US$2.2-million, two-year deal. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent July 1. ' ' '