ave it all behind. "I just wanted to take it all in one last time," Danser said, his eyes red and one last stray tear making its way toward the side of his nose. No. 5 Stanford came up short of

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Dion Phaneufs contract extension wasnt a surprise, thanks in part to HBOs "24/7" reality series. "It was a little bit of a bad-kept secret at the end of it," the Toronto Maple Leafs captain said Tuesday after the new agreement was announced. That Phaneuf was worth US$49 million over seven years to the Leafs was also no secret. The teams No. 1 defenceman plays every situation for Toronto which makes him arguably the most irreplaceable player on the roster. "He plays some pretty tough minutes, and his plus-minus has gone in the right direction playing those minutes, against the best players, starting in his own end, most defensive zone faceoffs, all those things," general manager Dave Nonis said. "And hes done that, and hes welcomed it, I think hes improved at it." Phaneuf has a long way to go before hes considered among the elite captains in franchise history, but the 28-year-old Edmonton native fits the teams current needs perfectly. No one on the Leafs plays more minutes (24:21 a game), and his four goals are the most on the blue- line. He plays more on the power play than anyone else and more on the penalty kill than anyone except for defensive centre Jay McClement. Hes not the same player the Leafs acquired from the Calgary Flames in early 2010. "I definitely feel that my game has grown with experience and playing in the league," said Phaneuf, who was understandably all smiles at his Michigan Stadium news conference on the day of Winter Classic practices. "You grow as a player, and Ive learned a lot of things over my time since Ive started, and I feel Im a better player today than I definitely was when I started and in my time in Calgary, thats for sure." Phaneuf has developed into someone Nonis considers a "pillar" the Leafs can build around. So much of what they do on the ice is built around him, and if he were to get injured there isnt a defenceman who possesses the ability to fill his skates. But Nonis insisted that wasnt the reason the Leafs ponied up and signed Phaneuf, who would have been an unrestricted free agent July 1. "We signed Dion to this deal because he deserved it," Nonis said. "Hes going to play at this level or beyond, I feel, for seven years, again, maybe beyond that. Its not that you dont have anyone to replace Dion, its that hes done enough to prove to us that he is a player that is near the top of the league in terms of how he stacks up against the top defencemen. ... "Its not that we dont have anyone to replace him. I think if thats why we were signing him, wed be making a mistake." On the ice, Phaneuf makes mistakes. He has an element to his game that Nonis acknowledged that includes taking chances to jump up in the play or lay a hit on an opponent. Part of that is what has made Phaneuf such a polarizing player in the eyes of fans. He has shown plenty of flaws, but ultimately hes a big, minute-logging defenceman who provides a mix of offence (four goals, 11 assists) and physicality. "Dions always going to have a little bit of risk to his game, but I believe hes lowered that," Nonis said. "Hes taken less big chances, less risky pinches, he still likes the big hit but hes not running at people the way he did early on. All those things are just a function of maturity." Phaneuf has matured into not just a better defenceman but a better leader. This is his fourth season as captain. "Ive definitely grown into the role, and Ive learned a lot," Phaneuf said. "Id be lying if I sat up here and said I cant. Im very comfortable in the role." The Leafs were comfortable enough with Phaneuf in that role that they rewarded him handsomely with this deal. Phaneuf will make US$8 million in each of the first two seasons, then $7.5 million, $7 million, $6.5 million, $6.5 million and then $5.5 million in 2020-21. Nonis said hes not concerned about the length of the deal. "Dion was going to get seven years regardless. If we werent going to pay him, hes going to get it (in free agency)," Nonis said. "I think hell play beyond the term of his contract. Hes not in his 30s. Hes in his 20s. His game is rounding out and its getting better. I dont think theres any reason why he cant play the seven years and then look for another contract." Theres no guarantee Phaneuf plays the entire contract with the Leafs, given that he has only a limited no-trade clause. Nonis doesnt believe in giving players full no-movement clauses, so Phaneuf didnt get one. None of the players Toronto has signed long-term -- forwards Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk, David Clarkson, Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul -- have full no-trade clauses in their contracts. "The core is always going to be somewhat movable," Nonis said. "Its not locked in stone for eight years that these guys are all going to be here. We signed them because we believe theyre part of a winning team, that they can be part of something, but it doesnt mean that were locked into anybody." The Leafs arent locked into Phaneuf, but this deal represents a major commitment, even with the salary cap expected to rise above $71 million next year and continue to increase. Phaneuf locked himself in rather than test the unrestricted-free-agent market, and though he thought about that possibility, he called this an easy decision. "I really believe that were building something special," he said. "That is a very big decision, and one that Im very happy with in the way that I chose to go." Cheap Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys . Mueller is the grandson of the late Ron Lancaster, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback and longtime head coach in the CFL. Last season, Mueller was quarterbacks coach of the University of Regina Rams, his alma mater. Cheap Adidas Flyers Jerseys . 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"It wasnt as easy as the scoreline indicates," said Djokovic, who has won in Dubai on four occasions.PASADENA, Calif. -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. The fifth-year senior guard, part of a group of players who have helped transform Stanford into a national powerhouse, wasnt quite ready to leave it all behind. "I just wanted to take it all in one last time," Danser said, his eyes red and one last stray tear making its way toward the side of his nose. No. 5 Stanford came up short of a second consecutive Rose Bowl victory, losing 24-20 to No. 4 Michigan State on Wednesday. "This game isnt the summary of these guys career," Danser said. "Weve achieved so much. We changed the program." The Cardinal (11-3) have racked up 46 victories over the last four years and been to four straight BCS games, playing a pure-power style that often wears opponents down. They couldnt do that against Michigan State (13-1). The Cardinal jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of two long plays, but managed just 159 yards over the last three quarters as the Spartans won the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988. "Its like we just won the Super Bowl, defensive end Shilique Calhoun said. Tyler Gaffney ran for 91 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinal and Kevin Anderson returned an interception 40 yards for a score in the second quarter to make it 17-7. And that was pretty much it for Stanford. With one last chance to drive for the win, the Cardinal faced fourth-and-1 from their 34 with 1:46 left. Of course, they tried to get it with brute force, running a fullback dive with Ryan Hewitt. But Kyler Elsworth and Calhoun blew it up for Michigan State and all the Spartans had to do from there was take a knee and celebrate with thousands of green clad fans who packed the Rose Bowl and lingered long after the game was over. "It looked like we were going to get the push, and then we got stopped up front," Stanford coach David Shaw said of the Cardinals final play. Connor Cook threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns against Stanford, despite facing one of the best pass rushing teams in the nation. "Hes got a lot of poise,, especially in the pocket hes able to extend plays and find open guys," said linebacker Shayne Skov, another of those fifth-year seniors who leave the Farm with a 54-13 record.dddddddddddd Before Skovs freshman season in 2009, when Stanford went 8-5 under Jim Harbaugh, Stanford had managed two winning seasons in the previous 12 years. The 100th Rose Bowl figured to be dominated by defences, with the units ranked No. 1 (Michigan State) and No. 14 (Stanford) in yards per play. It didnt start that way. Stanford got a 43-yard reception by Michael Rector and a 47-yard run by Gaffney in the first quarter. Michigan States defence, playing without senior leader and third-team All-America linebacker Max Bullough, righted itself in the second quarter, allowing 22 yards. Bullough was suspended for what would have been his final game for a violation of team rules that Michigan State has declined to explain. Ellsworth started in his place and played well. Jeremy Langfords 2-yard touchdown run, after a Stanford pass interference in the end zone on a throw that sailed high, cut the lead to 10-7 in the second quarter. Cook had plenty of good moments, but his biggest mistake cost Michigan State dearly in the second quarter. With pressure in his face, Cook tried to flip a screen pass but it was picked off by Anderson, who chugged 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-7 Cardinal with 2:07 left in the half. Earlier, Anderson dropped a potential interception and in the third quarter on consecutive plays Stanford dropped another interception and had one wiped out by a defensive holding. Cook and the Spartans didnt stay down for long after the pick-6. Cook delivered a 2-yard touchdown pass to Trevon Pendleton with 28 seconds left in the first half to make it 17-14. Michigan State tied it on its first drive of the second half and Cook hit Tony Lippett with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 13:22 left in the fourth to make it 24-17. Jordan Williamson cut it to 24-20 with 4:15 left with a 39-yard field goal, but Stanford could get no closer. "Were happy with the way we played," but it definitely hurts," Skov said. "Its not easy to lose." Thats because it doesnt happen much at Stanford anymore. 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