After a year away from the game, former Toronto FC defender Adrian Cann is ready to resume his career as a San Antonio Scorpion in the North American Soccer League. The 10-team, second-tier NASL, which includes FC Edmonton and the expansion Ottawa Fury FC, kicks off its spring season this weekend. The Scorpions host Minnesota United in one of four games Saturday. Released by Toronto following the 2012 season after an injury-plagued stint with the MLS team, the 33-year-old Cann elected to take some time off "to see where I am with the game, reassess my life." "Because Ive been playing for so long. It was a time in my life where I had to just step away for a bit to see where Im at." He kept Toronto as his base but he and his girlfriend used some of the time to travel, spending time in Europe and the U.S. "It was good to finally get some down time, maybe catch up on life," he said. "Sometimes you get caught up in the game so much, you kind of overlook important things in your life such as family and friends. "It was nice to kind of catch up with everyone." After reflection, he concluded he still had the "urgency to compete and win something." Scorpions coach Alan Hankinson had reached out to Cann previously but he wasnt ready. Canadian Alen Marcina, an assistant under Hankinson who is now head coach, tried Cann again and got a positive response. Marcina and Cann have some history together having played in Vancouver. So far Cann has enjoyed his time in the Texas heat. The San Antonio roster includes fellow Toronto FC alumni Eric Hassli and Julius James. Hassli, a former designated player with Toronto, Vancouver and FC Dallas, owns a ranch in Frisco, Texas. Canadian midfielder Shaun Saiko, a former Middlesbrough youth player and FC Edmonton player, is also a Scorpion. Also on the roster is midfielder Walter Restrepo, traded to San Antonio from Fort Lauderdale last year in a deal that reportedly included hotel and transportation arrangements for the Florida clubs trip to Texas. Other Scorpions of note include American-born El Salvador international Richard Menjivar. San Antonio finished the pre-season undefeated (4-0-3). Cann, who played 48 games for Toronto from 2010 to 2012, says he holds no hard feelings toward his former club. "At the same time a little disappointed," he said of how it all ended. "Its my home city and a great organization to be a part of." After being named TFCs player of the year in 2010 when he played 26 games, Canns 2011 season started with a salary dispute and ended prematurely when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in training. The injury hampered him for much of the 2012 season as well. He saw action in 12 games in 2011 and just 10 in 2012. The six-foot-three defender was originally drafted by the Colorado Rapids in the second round -- 16th overall -- of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Louisville. He saw limited action in just two games for the Rapids before joining the pre-MLS Montreal Impact in 2004 and the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2006. Cann spent two seasons in Denmark with Esberg FB before signing in Toronto. While Cann had a roller-coaster ride with Toronto FC, he usually had a smile on his face. "Thats just part of the whole story," he said philosophically. "If you didnt have the ups and downs, then I guess you wouldnt know when you experience good times. "I take the good with the bad." nike Air Max Thea Zwart Sale . Mets manager Terry Collins said Sunday he is promoting setup man Kyle Farnsworth to the ninth-inning role in place of struggling right-hander Jose Valverde, who has given up four home runs in his last three outings. nike Air Max 2016 Dames . The Cavs have won seven in a row and havent lost since a home contest on Nov. 22 versus these same Raptors. Since, Cleveland swept a four-game homestand, then polished off a perfect 3-0 road trip in front of a royal crowd at the Barclays Center. http://www.airmax-2016.nl/nike-air-max-nederland/air-max-thea-flyknit.html . Pretty soon he started hitting a few, and on Friday night he was a career-best 6 of 6 from behind the arc. Parsons scored 21 points and the Rockets picked up their fourth straight win, rolling to an easy 114-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. nike Air Max 2016 Sale . But he is devalued. Once ranked among mixed martial arts pound-for-pound elite, the former UFC welterweight champion from Montreal is finding past glory doesnt last long. Air Max 2016 Black . Matt Carkner got back into the Ottawa lineup, and made his presence felt right away by settling his clubs score in a one-sided fight with Rangers forward Brian Boyle.TORONTO - For over a month Nando De Colo was Torontos forgotten man, an afterthought at the bottom of a playoff-bound roster, a masked phantom lurking on the end of the Raptors bench. Who was he and why was he brought here? As the visitors locker room cleared out after Saturdays win in Milwaukee, a reporter approached De Colo, who was suddenly making an impact in an expanded role for his new, undermanned club. Curious about the origins of his first name, which isnt a traditional French moniker, said reporter asked the Raptors guard where it came from. "It came from my parents," he replied, straight-faced, flaunting a quick wit we didnt know he had. Up until last week we didnt know much about him at all. The acquisition of De Colo, trickling in minutes after the trade deadline passed, went under the radar. A player from the end of one bench exchanged for a player on the end of another. Masai Ujiri opted to hold onto Kyle Lowry and keep the band together, that was the headline. Austin Daye for De Colo was a footnote. Now, six weeks later, the move is owed some belated acknowledgement. Ujiri was familiar with De Colo having seen him play overseas and with the Spurs. He knew what he was getting. Dwane Casey was less acquainted with the second-year combo guard but was equally as intrigued by his intangibles and has been looking for a way to find him more playing time. With Lowry resting a sore knee, Casey has been provided that opportunity and De Colo, to his credit, is taking advantage of it. "Its what I was expecting and what we needed and wanted, as far as another ball handler," Casey told TSN.ca. "That was the main thing we saw. We needed another guy that can handle the ball, to create, to be a passer, a facilitator, a transporter of the ball, to get it across the court. "Hes done that." In extended minutes, backing up and playing alongside temporary starter Greivis Vasquez, De Colo has been a sparkplug coming in off the bench to begin the month of April. Over the last two games hes tallied 11 assists to just three turnovers in 42 minutes of action. After easing into his new surroundings, De Colo no longer appears reluctant to let it fly. Hes shooting and scoring with confidence, something he lacked upon arriving in Toronto, playing sporadically last month. "Hes still learning our system," said Casey, "still getting comfortable and the more he gets comfortable the more hes going to knock down shots. I think were seeing that now." The easy explanation for his confidence boost is the increased playing time that has come as a result of Lowrys injury.dddddddddddd "Im finding a rhythm," said De Colo, who has attempted 16 shots over the last three games, the same number he hoisted in his first 14 contests with the Raptors. "Im in shape after adjusting to find a rhythm of the game with a new team. Now I just try to play my game, try to be aggressive like everybody wants on the team and since then Ive been good." Since arriving from the Spurs, De Colo has been touted for his basketball intellect and decision-making ability. Teammates and coaches have cited his time playing for the venerable Gregg Popovich with a world-class organization in San Antonio, as well as his experience overseas - where he competed professionally from the age of 19 - and with the French national team. In a year and a half with the Spurs he was sent back and forth from the NBA Development League an astonishing total of nine times, a product of the close proximity between San Antonio and its D-League affiliate in Austin. More so than the path hes traveled to get here, De Colo credits his approach. "I think its something Ive always had in my game," he said. "I try to see what happens and make good decisions. I know I can pass the ball. I must be aggressive on this kind of team and I have to take the open shot." Casey has entrusted De Colo to run his offence, immediately vaulting him over the young Julyan Stone and Dwight Buycks in Torontos backcourt rotation. When Lowry makes his return - hes expected to be cleared this week - the Raptors head coach has a decision to make. Can he afford to juggle minutes for three point guards going into the playoffs or does De Colo go back to the end of the bench? Although Casey has been most impressed with him as the primary ball handler, its conceivable that the Raptors could feature more two point guard lineups in the postseason, when the defence is likely to apply more pressure on Lowry. Of equal importance, the Raptors need to find out what they have in De Colo, a free agent at the end of the season. If Lowry is retained this summer and Vasquez - a restricted free agent - proves too expensive, De Colo may make more sense as an affordable backup, assuming he continues to impress. All of a sudden, De Colo has become more than late-season bench fodder. The Raptors under-the-radar deadline acquisition has helped keep them afloat in the absence of their most important player and could continue paying out come playoff time, and beyond. Nando is a name worth remembering. cheap nfl Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys cheap nfl Jerseys wholesale Jerseys ' ' '