Gildenregeln » oulder/forearm) were limited.___AP NFL website

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Former NBA star Charles D. Balenciaga Shoes Discount . Smith says he feels remorse for coming to Pyongyang with Dennis Rodman for a game on the North Korean leaders birthday because the event has been dwarfed by politics and tainted by Rodmans own comments. Smith and other former NBA players are scheduled to play with Rodman against a team of North Koreans on Wednesday that organizers say leader Kim Jong Un is expected to attend. Many of the players on Tuesday privately expressed second thoughts about going ahead because of an outpouring of criticism back home in the United States. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks, said the North Korea trip has been dwarfed by politics and Rodmans frequent boasts about his close friendship with Kim. "What we are doing is positive, but it is getting dwarfed by the other circumstances around it," Smith told The Associated Press. "Apparently our message is not being conveyed properly due to the circumstances that are much bigger than us, and I think that has to do with politics and government." Rodman arrived in Pyongyang on Monday with seven former NBA players and four streetballers for the game on Kims birthday, believed to be his 31st. Along with Smith, the squad features ex-All Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker. The game would be another milestone in Rodmans surprising relationship with basketball fan Kim, who rarely meets with outsiders and is possibly the worlds most mysterious leader. Rodman has called the game a "birthday present" for Kim but says he has received death threats for his repeated visits to this country and for calling Kim a "friend for life." "The way some of the statements and things that Dennis has said has tainted our efforts," Smith said. "Dennis is a great guy, but how he articulates what goes on -- he gets emotional and he says things that hell apologize for later." NBA Commissioner David Stern has distanced his organization from Rodmans squad. "The NBA is not involved with Mr. Rodmans North Korea trip and would not participate or support such a venture without the approval of the U.S. State Department," he said in a statement. "Although sports in many instances can be helpful in bridging cultural divides, this is not one of them." Rodman is the highest-profile American to meet Kim since the leader inherited power after his father, Kim Jong Il, died in late 2011. He travelled to the North for the first time last February and came back just before Christmas to hold tryouts for the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Kim then. The plan to hold the game has been criticized because of the Norths human rights record, its development of nuclear weapons and its threats to use them if a conflict breaks out with Washington or Seoul. Rodman, in particular, has been slammed for not trying to use his influence with Kim to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, an American missionary with health problems who is being held in North Korea on charges of "anti-state" crimes. Asked in a CNN satellite interview Tuesday whether he would raise the issue of Bae, Rodman yelled in response, "I dont give a rats ass what the hell you think. ... One day this door is going to open because these 10 guys here." Smith placed his arm around Rodmans shoulder and a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm Rodman down. "I feel bad for Dennis, I feel bad for the players," Smith said afterward, adding that when he played for the United States in the 1988 Olympics he felt elation. "I felt huge, I felt on top of the world. But I feel the reverse now," he said. "I feel a lot of remorse for the guys because we are doing something positive, but its a lot bigger than us. We are not naive, we understand why things are being portrayed the way they are. We cant do anything about that, if we could we would. "Were not skilled in those particular areas," he added. "Dennis is definitely not skilled in those particular areas." China Vans Shoes Wholesale . Green-Ellis was Cincinnatis leading rusher each of the last two seasons. His role was reduced last year when Giovani Bernard was added to the backfield. Green-Ellis ran for 756 yards and a career-low 3. Yeezy Boost Clearance .J. -- Fabian Johnson scored his first international goal and Clint Dempsey doubled the lead after a defensive lapse as the United States beat Turkey 2-1 Sunday in the second of three World Cup warm-up matches for the Americans before they head to Brazil. http://www.fakeyeezyscheap.com/wholesale-yeezy-boost-350.html .S. - Nova Scotias Mary Fay guaranteed at least one more match and a shot at the Canadian junior curling championships final on home ice.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The numbers, at least by James Harrisons impeccably high standards, arent good enough. Not by a long shot.Try to offer the occasionally snarly Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker an olive branch about the improvement in the teams run defence over the last two months and he swats it away.By no means is it where we would like it to be, Harrison said.Maybe, but the Steelers (9-5) are closer to respectable than they were two months ago. After a sluggish start in which the front seven played as if stuck on a treadmill running in reverse, Pittsburgh is showing flashes of reponsible play.The dividing line is pretty clear, at least on paper. The Steelers are 5-2 in their last seven games, allowing less than 100 yards rushing in all five wins and more than 100 yards on the ground in both losses. Whichever trend holds up on Sunday against Kansas City (8-6) will likely determine whether Pittsburgh ends the weekend with its first playoff berth in three years.Pittsburgh is 11th in the NFL against the run, not bad until you consider the franchise ranked in the top 10 every season from 2004-12, a stretch that included three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.Harrison, who has been limited by a knee injury the last two weeks, knows the difference between good and great. At the moment, he figures the Steelers are passable at best.Were going to continue to work at getting it better and getting our defence all-around better, Harrison said. Our location and assignments and just making plays when we in position to make plays.Theyre coming, but not with the frequency Harrison would like.Pittsburgh has given up just two rushing touchdowns since Halloween, including a fluky 20-yard sprint by Cincinnatis Andy Dalton two weeks ago that proved only a footnote in a resounding 42-21 win over the Bengals. The large swaths of green grass opponents darted through in September and October have closed up of late as Pittsburghs revamped group of linebackers has discovered some cohesion.Injuries to Harrison, Jarvis Jones and Ryan Shazier forced defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau to give Arthur Moats, Vince Williams and Sean Spence extended playingg time. Yeezy Boost 350 China Wholesale. Finding the right mix with so many new faces was not easy. Pittsburgh gave up 132 yards rushing four times in the seasons first seven weeks, often putting up little resistance until running backs were well into the secondary.I feel like in the past weve got hurt because we were trying to do too much at certain times and we werent as mentally disciplined as we need to be, Moats said. Weve got to keep our eyes on our assignment. For us to go forward and go where we want to go, we need to continue to do that.Considering the way quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the NFLs top-ranked offence is currently piling up yards and points, the Steelers dont need to shut opponents down so much as they simply need to slow them down.Theyll face perhaps their biggest test of the season from the Chiefs, who rely heavily on the electric running back tandem of Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis. The two have combined for 1,388 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. While Kansas City quarterback Alex Smiths inability to throw to a wide receiver in the end zone has become a punchline of sorts, Moats figures that just makes what the Chiefs are able to do even more impressive.Even without an outside threat, Kansas City is in the thick of the post-season chase even though everyone knows exactly what is coming.The fact that theyre still winning games and havent been able to have passing touchdowns like that, it shows that theyre a very resourceful team, Moats said.One that figures to put whatever momentum the Steelers believe theyve found to the test. With the defence as healthy as it has been all season, Pittsburgh is running out of time and excuses.Earlier in the year we were getting used to guys, guys didnt really know how each other are playing, Jones said. Guys are feeding off each other now and getting into the right places. I think its all coming together.NOTES: Safety Mike Mitchell (groin), safety Troy Polamalu (knee) and tight end Matt Spaeth (elbow) did not practice. ... Center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) and cornerback Ike Taylor (shoulder/forearm) were limited.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '