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HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- NASCAR chairman Brian France refused Sunday to discuss his political support of President-elect Donald Trump and quickly pivoted the conversation toward his own efforts at improving diversity in his sport.France addressed the media hours before Sundays title-deciding season finale, and a day after Mexican Daniel Suarez became the first foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR national title. Earlier in the 17-minute news conference, France declared that Suarez would never have been in position to win the Xfinity Series championship if not for Frances diversity efforts.Without the Drive for Diversity program, with certainty, Daniel Suarez is not in NASCAR, France said.When the topic turned to Trump, France quickly shut down the questioning.France was an early supporter of Trump and took several drivers to a rally in Georgia earlier this year. France also appeared as a Trump supporter at a town hall meeting during the campaign.Its been Trumps stance on immigration, specifically with Mexico, that has appeared to be in conflict with Frances efforts. France has pushed for increased diversity, and was outspoken on his desire to remove the Confederate flag from NASCAR events.Asked Sunday about Suarezs championship in comparison to his support of Trump, France cut off the question from NBCSports.com.Ill stop you right there, he said. First of all, nobody wants to hear my political views. Not one person on this stage wants to hear from me politically. So I wont be talking about that.But on my diversity, nobody, nobody in this company, has worked harder, done more and resourced it better than me. I founded the Diversity Council. I fought for every single thing that makes sense, because thats my core belief about diversity. Its very, very important. I talk about it frequently, and my efforts there should never be challenged, no matter what my political views might be. Thats a ridiculous thing to do.France was prickly about several other topics and sweating profusely under the lights of the Homestead-Miami Speedway dais.He argued that the sport is healthy, even though Sprint is ending its 13-year association as title sponsor after Sundays race. NASCAR has had nearly two years to replace Sprint, but no sponsor has been named. In recent days, Monster Energy has emerged as a possible front-runner for the title rights.Its taken a little longer than I thought, but its also a big agreement and an important agreement, France said. Its not just dollars and cents, but its a fit for us. We dont want to announce anything certainly around this weekend. Were in a good spot with that, I believe, but well have to see how it finally plays out.France also downplayed the decline in television ratings -- eight Chase races have been down double-digits this season -- but France doesnt think the elimination-style playoff format is to blame. He noted ratings declines in all major sports and that consumption has shifted. For example, France said, he watched a Duke basketball game in a highlight package on his laptop rather than watch the game live on television.While some fans have pointed to the Chase for the championship system as a reason they no longer watch races, France believes the format now used in all three national series is best for the sport.Were very pleased with the formats. Wouldnt change a thing, he said. Go back a year ago for the Xfinity Series ... you had the winner and the champion and a couple others talk about all they needed to do was finish the race. `If I ran 30th, Ill be OK. Well, thats not really great for great competition.Speed it up to this year, you had all four thinking theyve got to win the race. Thats a big deal for auto racing. Were bold enough to do that. Cheap Vapormax 2020 China . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. Nike Air VaporMax 2.0 Floral Pure Platinum+Arctic Pink-White . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2020-clearance.html .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Discount Vapormax .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Cheap Vapormax China . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. BETHLEHEM, Pa. (STATS) -- New Fordham football coach Andrew Breiner was admiring what he saw across the room at Patriot League media day on Tuesday.Look at Julien Davenport, he said, noting Bucknells All-America left tackle.Look at (Kyle) Diener, he continued about the Colgate linebacker and the leagues preseason defensive player of the year.Look at our guys.And then Breiner concluded: Were getting different football players.Its not surprising the Patriot League is filled with standout seniors. This is the fourth year that the league has been offering football scholarships, so as theyve reached the senior class, the talent is arguably stronger than ever.The seven-team league could very well top its memorable 2015 season. Colgate won mostly close games en route to claiming the Patriot title and then advanced twice in the FCS playoff to reach the quarterfinals. Fordham joined the Raiders in the postseason, giving the league two qualifiers for only the second time in 10 years.Colgate, with Diener among its 17 returning starters, grabbed the favorites role in the leagues preseason poll. Fordham, which boasts junior running back and preseason offensive player of the year Chase Edmonds as one of 18 returning starters, was picked second while Holy Cross and Lehigh tied for third followed by Bucknell, Lafayette and Georgetown, the only school not to be offering football scholarships.Every team has at least 14 returning starters. All but Georgetown is returning its starting quarterback, with Holy Cross senior Peter Pujals gaining the preseason honor at the position.This is going to be the year that I think can really put the Patriot League on a national map, said Breiner, who served as Fordhams offensive coordinator before succeeding Joe Moorhead as head coach last December.Colgate beat CAA Football powers New Hampshire and James Madison on the road in last years playoffs. The Raiders had lost to New Hampshire during the regular season, but the difference that the building scholarship classes were making was evident in that game as in the playoff victory.The first time we played New Hampshire, second-year coach Dan Hunt said, they beat us, and they beat us pretty soundly. But I remember coming off the field and I felt fairly positive, that they beat us because we didnt play well. It wasnt like physically we couldnt match up with them. In years past, thats what it was.The Patriot League is deep enough that five different schools have won league titles in the last seven years.Fourteen players on this years 29-player preseason team made the all-league first team last season and another 12 were on the second team. Bucknell, though picked fifth, had the most preseason selections with seven.ddddddddddddThe scholarships have made the leagues recruiting makeup more national, and the coaching staffs are seemingly winning more head-to-head recruiting battles with the rival Ivy League. The scholarships havent decreased the strong academic/athletic mix, either, as over 200 players achieved at least a 3.2 grade-point average last academic year.Weve had talented players pre-scholarship, weve had talented players post-scholarship, Hunt said. To a group, I think these kids are much more focused on what they have to do.I think weve had great players in the league for a long, long time, Holy Cross coach Tom Gilmore said. And we certainly have great players this year.That includes Davenport, the fourth-year starter from Bucknell who is a cousin to NBA player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. At 6-foot-7, 318 pounds, everybody in the room was looking up to Davenport in amazement Tuesday.Well, almost everyone. Fordhams all-league tight end, Phazahn Odom, is an inch taller.No doubt the scholarships are supplying the Patriot League in a big way.---=PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL=Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors Poll1. Colgate (10 first-place votes), 70 points2. Fordham (3), 633. (tie) Holy Cross (1), 473. (tie) Lehigh, 475. Bucknell, 316. Lafayette, 197. Georgetown, 17---=PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAM=Offensive Player of the Year -- Chase Edmonds, RB, FordhamDefensive Player of the Year -- Kyle Diener, LB, ColgateOffenseQB -- Peter Pujals, Holy Cross, Sr.RB -- Chase Edmonds, Fordham, Jr.RB -- James Holland, Colgate, Jr.FB/HB -- Matt Buckman, Georgetown, Sr.WR -- Will Carter, Bucknell, Sr.WR -- Brendan Flaherty, Holy Cross, Sr.WR -- Troy Pelletier, Lehigh, Jr.TE -- Phazahn Odom, Fordham, GradOL -- Anthony Coyle, Fordham, Jr.OL -- Jordi Dalmau, Colgate, Sr.OL -- Julien Davenport, Bucknell, Sr.OL -- Zach Duffy, Lehigh, Sr.OL -- Tim OHara, Lehigh, Jr.DefenseDL -- Pat Afriyie, Colgate, Jr.DL -- Abdullah Anderson, Bucknell, Jr.DL -- Dewayne Cameron, Holy Cross, Sr.DL -- Ben Schumacher, Bucknell, Sr.LB -- Colton Caslow, Lehigh, Sr.LB -- Kyle Diener, Colgate, Sr.LB -- Mark Pyles, Bucknell, Jr.LB -- Ben Richard, Bucknell, Jr.LB -- Niko Thorpe, Fordham, Jr.DB -- Luke Ford, Holy Cross, Sr.DB -- Chris Morgan, Colgate, Sr.DB -- Alim Muhammad, Holy Cross, Jr.DB -- Jihaad Pretlow, Fordham, Sr.Special TeamsPK -- Henry Darmstadter, Georgetown, Sr.P -- Alex Pechin, Bucknell, So.RS -- Jihaad Pretlow, Fordham, Sr.Non-Specialist Player -- Jethro Francois, Georgetown, So. 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