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NEW YORK -- The Big East Conference spent time this weekend focusing on the future of some of its womens basketball players.The conference hosted a professional development weekend for players from all 10 of its schools that included a series of panels, question-and-answer sessions and mock interviews.Our inaugural Transition Game program provided inspiring speakers, useful information and great energy, said Big East commissioner Val Ackerman. We hope our student-athletes will draw on the tips, tools and messages our experts offered as they begin to plan for life in the real world.One of the highlights of the two-day seminar was a panel of broadcasters that included Providence alum Doris Burke.I hope that these women understand the message that everyone seemed to send that regardless of what your field of endeavor is, hard work is going to get you there, Burke said. The unique thing about the time that were in now is the way people conceive of what a womens job in sport is, is different, its changing. Were seeing women now in what we would consider `non-traditional roles . I think we need young women to aspire to positions outside of the sideline. If you want to be a sideline reporter, thats outstanding and its a great way to impact a broadcast, but you can be a play-by-play person, the doors are now opening.The group of players also toured the Sept. 11 memorial and museum.It was so emotional and being with the Big East group and be able to reflect on that together was really special, said Georgetown junior Dorothy Adomako. Its been different to interact with everyone off the court, especially at dinner -- we were able to bond more and it actually felt like we were back in our AAU days.One of the most passionate speakers on the weekend was New York Liberty director of player development Teresa Weatherspoon. She talked about what it takes to get to the next level. With only 144 roster spots in the WNBA, the players need to think about other options.I searched greatness, I searched excellence. I wanted to understand greatness. I wanted to understand excellence because thats what I wanted for myself because of my commitment to the process, she said. When I looked up greatness and everything that I searched said theres a price you have to pay. Are you willing to pay the price? And whatever it is that you guys desire to do, doesnt have to be basketball, whatever it is, because were all unique and wonderful in our own way, there better be a commitment to the process, but know theres a price to pay. Matt Joyce Braves Jersey . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Bobby Cox Braves Jersey .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/adam-duvall-braves-jersey/ . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Freddie Freeman Braves Jersey .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Ozzie Albies Jersey . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Theo Epstein is rising to a new reality.For the last few years Ive had a semi-recurring dream, maybe five or six times, where Ive woken up, wow, we just won the World Series with the Cubs. Thats unbelievable, he recalled Monday night.And then about 10 seconds later I realize it was just a dream, and then the rest of the day stinks, right? Its a pretty great feeling and then back to reality. The last five days or whatever its been, Ive been waking up with the same realization and then it takes a couple seconds. Wow! It really happened!Days after the team he designed ended a long championship drought, Epstein was voted The Sporting News Major League Baseball Executive of the Year for revitalizing the Chicago Cubs.Balloting by 56 big league executives took place before the postseason. The Cubs led the majors with 103 wins during the regular season, then beat Cleveland in a seven-game World Series last week for their first title since 1908.During the parade I kept telling my wife we need to go home to change some diapers and do some laundry, because this is not real life, he said. Weve got to get our feet back on the ground.Epstein was presented with the award at the start of the annual general managers meeting. He received 13 votes, followed by Clevelands Chris Antonetti (nine), the New York Yankees Brian Cashman (eight), Texas Jon Daniels (seven), Clevelands Mike Chernoff and Washingtons Mike Rizzo (three each), and Baltimores Dan Duquette and the Cubs Jed Hoyer (two apiece).Now 42, Epstein was the youngest general manager in major league history when Boston hired him at age 28 in November 2002. He helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series, their first title since 1918, and a second championship in 2007.Winning at 42 vs. 30, I have a greater appreciation for how hard it is and how many people have to contribute and how lucky you have to get along the way, too, he said.Epstein left Boston after the 2011 season to become president of baseball operations with the Cubs, who lost 91 games that year. As he rebuilt the team, the Cubs dropped 101 games in 2012, 96 the following year and 89 in 2014. They won 97 games last year to gaiin a wild card, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 only to get swept by the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.ddddddddddddThis year, Chicago defeated San Francisco in the Division Series, overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and then became the first team to rally from a 3-1 World Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals.Chicagos 10th-inning rally in Game 7 was sparked by Albert Almora Jr., the first player drafted under Epsteins regime, taken sixth overall in 2012. Third baseman Kris Bryant was drafted in 2013 and outfielder Kyle Schwarber in 2014, and the Cubs traded for pitcher Jake Arrieta (from Baltimore), first baseman Anthony Rizzo (San Diego) and shortstop Addison Russell (Oakland).Jon Lester was signed as a free agent after the 2014 season and fellow pitcher John Lackey, all-purpose player Ben Zobrist and outfielders Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward were signed last offseason.Chicago gave Epstein a new five-year contract in September. Now the challenge is to win two in a row and match the 1907-08 Cubs.It does make you hungry just to validate it. When you can win two, I think it means even more, he said. Wed love to be the type of organization that national baseball fans think of when you think of October baseball.Aroldis Chapman, Fowler, Jason Hammel and Travis Wood have become free agents. Epstein already has been thinking about roster alterations.The mix has to change a little bit, he said. If you look to just bring back every single component and try to recreate the past, its going to change by definition. Group dynamics change. Human beings change. And so maybe its better to change it in some small ways on your terms and some intent behind it rather than just let it come back exactly the same and be stale. ... Well make some smaller changes, but I do have a feeling this nucleus is going to stay intact a lot longer than what we did in Boston.Founded in 1886, TSN ended its print edition in 2012 but remains available online. ' ' '