Beef Floor » rst-round bye in the playoffs. Rivera had on

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Ron Rivera is staying in Carolina after leading the Panthers to their first playoff appearance since 2008. The Panthers rewarded "Riverboat Ron" on Tuesday with a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2017 season after Carolina finished 12-4 this season and won the NFC South championship. Carolina lost at home in the divisional playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers. Rivera started the season on the hot seat after a 1-3 start, but the Panthers rebounded to win 11 of their final 12 regular season games to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. Rivera had one year left on the four-year, $11.2 million contract he signed in 2011 when first hired as head coach. Financial details of the new deal were not immediately available. "The improvement of our team has been reflected in the progress of the record over the last three seasons under Ron and we look forward to building upon that foundation," Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said in a release. Rivera is 25-23 in three seasons as the Panthers head coach. The decision to extend Rivera isnt surprising. Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said two days after the season ended he had "ultimate faith" in Rivera as the teams coach. He made good on that statement this week, giving Rivera three additional seasons at the helm. "The team has shown improvement under Ron each year and he is deserving of the recognition that he has received for the 2013 season," Gettleman said in the release. "We are pleased and excited with the continuity this extension brings." The 52-year-old Rivera went 6-10 and 7-9 in his first two seasons in Carolina, starting those seasons 1-5 and 1-6 respectively. After Carolina stumbled out of the blocks this year with another poor start there was talk about Riveras future with the team. But following a road win at Minnesota in Week 5, the Panthers got hot behind quarterback Cam Newton and a stifling defence led by middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. Rivera did his part, too. He took on a gamblers mentality after the slow start often going for it -- and succeeding -- on fourth downs, earning him the nickname "Riverboat Ron." "I have been very clear about how much I have enjoyed living in Charlotte and working for this organization," Rivera said in the release. "I very much appreciate the support and confidence Mr. Richardson and Dave Gettleman have shown in me and our staff." Rivera quickly deflected praise from this past season, saying "Any success we have enjoyed is the result of a team effort by players, coaches, scouts and the entire organization, and our ultimate goal remains winning the Super Bowl." The next challenge for Rivera will be sustaining that success. Since joining the NFL in 1995, the Panthers have never been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The extension comes two days after Rivera led his team to a victory in the Pro Bowl. Dirk Nowitzki Jersey . TSN was honoured with several awards, with Rod Smith and James Duthie sharing the win for Best Sports Host for SportsCentre and the NHL: Season On The Brink coverage, respectively. Jalen Brunson Jersey . Bach, a 59-year-old German lawyer, was elected Tuesday as president of the International Olympic Committee. He succeeds Jacques Rogge, who stepped down after 12 years. Bach, the longtime favourite, defeated five candidates in a secret ballot for the most influential job in international sports, keeping the presidency in European hands. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/de...vericks-jersey/. Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. Kostas Antetokounmpo Jersey ... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. Dennis Smith Jr. Jersey . Klein went undrafted in the NFL last year following his senior season with the Wildcats. He was invited to the Houston Texans rookie camp, but was not offered a contract. MINNEAPOLIS -- Vikings running back Adrian Peterson reiterated on Thursday that he hopes to remain in Minnesota until he retires, responding to a report that he spoke to Jerry Jones about one day playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Peterson and the Vikings both issued statements shortly after ESPN reported that Peterson had a phone conversation with Jones, the owner of the Cowboys, this summer about playing for the team in Petersons home state after his time with the Vikings came to a close. "This was a casual conversation between NFL colleagues in which I never indicated I wanted to leave the Vikings," Peterson said. "I have always said I understand the NFL is a business but that I would love to retire as a Viking." The business part of the NFL is starting to come into play for the 29-year-old Peterson, who is the leagues highest paid running back, a position that is increasingly occupied by younger, cheaper players. He will make $12 million in 2014 and those salaries climb in each of the final four seasons of his seven-year deal, culminating with $16 million in 2017. Because of the way his contrract is structured, which allows the Vikings to release him without incurring hardly any salary cap issues after this season, Peterson is essentially on a series of one-year deals controlled by the team.dddddddddddd If his production declines as he gets older, he could be released or asked to take a pay cut. Under NFL rules, Jones was required to notify the Vikings when he had that conversation with Peterson. But there was no indication that Jones did. "We are focused on the 2014 season, and as we have consistently communicated, Adrian is an integral part of the Vikings organization," the Vikings said in a statement. Peterson rushed for 1,266 yards and 10 touchdowns last season but has required surgery to repair an injury in each of the last three offseasons. Nevertheless, he remains as determined as ever to prove that he will not hit the wall that often accompanies a running backs 30th birthday. "It doesnt apply to me," Peterson said in June. "I have a totally different mindset and mind frame, so Ill just stay in my lane and let everybody else say what they have to say." ' ' '