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RIO DE JANEIRO -- It didnt feel like a 12-alarm fire when word got out that Sue Bird wasnt going to play. The U.S. Olympic womens basketball team is too dominant for that. It was more like the basketball equivalent of having a rock in your shoe, or having a painting thats hung crooked on the wall. Something just didnt feel right Thursday night in their semifinal game against France. Something was just ... off.Bird always says shes not the fastest or highest-flying talent in womens basketball. But when youve been the point guard for the U.S. national team dating back 16 years, running the show at every major international competition since 2002, and the team has not lost an Olympic game in all that time, its not surprising that the sight of Bird on Thursday would be disorienting for the U.S. The sight of Bird walking out in her navy team warm-up suit unable to play in the American teams semifinal against France because of a sprained right knee capsule might have even felt like an unprecedented opportunity for France, which had five or six players and coaches standing and watching the U.S. layup line before the game as if they couldnt believe their luck.I didnt know she wasnt going to play, said French forward Sandrine Gruda. Even at halftime we were saying, Believe. Believe. Believe.Asked the last time she missed an Olympic contest, Birds eyes opened wide and she laughed and said, Never.Until Thursday, the 35-year-old had played 28 of the last 30 Olympic games for the U.S. team stretching back to 2004. She did not play in the semifinal and gold-medal games in Athens in 2004.While the Americans looked discombobulated early on without her -- France trailed only 40-34 at the half -- they eventually overcame Birds absence like theyve overcome everything else in this tournament, relying on their experience and depth of talent to run away to a gratifying 86-67 win, their smallest margin of victory in the tournament. A 25-8 run in the third quarter put France away to stay.The American team now goes into its sixth-straight Olympic final Saturday, this time opposite Spain, a team it beat by 40 points in pool play earlier in these Games.Whether Bird plays or not, it would be an epic upset if the U.S. loses this gold medal or its 48-game Olympic winning streak now. Bird said her plan is to try to practice Friday, and see how she feels. Head coach Geno Auriemma says it will be her call whether to play or sit.To be honest, yesterday I didnt feel amazing, but I woke up today feeling better, and Im just hoping for the best tomorrow, said Bird, who has had five previous surgeries on her left knee but no issues with her right knee until now. Im not going to be stupid about this. Its your body. You dont want to put it in danger. But if I can play, Im definitely playing.Lindsay Whalen, a 32-year-old veteran, is the only other true point guard on the U.S. roster. But Auriemma said the upside of having already played one game without Bird is the U.S. wont have to spend a half working the kinks out of their offense in the gold-medal game like they did on this night. Auriemma filled Birds spot in the starting lineup by moving Seimone Augustus into the backcourt opposite Diana?Taurasi, and asking Taurasi to be a bit more of a ball handler and passer even though, Thats really not her role.Taurasi is used to filling in. Even if she prefers to have Bird on the court.When Sues out, you forget how much she does for this team, she said. We have so many scorers, and she finds a way to get everyone in their spots, to get everyone touches, and she sacrifices her own offense for that ... I think we figured it out in the second half. But it was still hard.Taurasi still led the U.S. with 18 points. And Bird was predictably uneasy having to endure watching the game. During pregame warm-ups, she made a few passes to teammates in the layup line, and the other U.S. players said she was vocal in the locker room at halftime, too, reminding them of little details, telling them not to worry that their four-point margin was so slim. Stay calm. When the U.S. went back on the court and the five players who were going to start the second half huddled by the U.S. bench for one last quick talk, all of a sudden a sixth -- Bird -- stuck her head in and started giving instructions, sending them out with a pep talk.What was watching like? Now? Not so hard. During the game, very hard, Bird laughed. We were a little out of sorts, and I feel I can help in that department. But honestly, they did a great job. Its not easy. A semifinal game -- I dont care who youre playing against -- its the hardest game because you lose that and you get nothing. Or, I mean, you can only maybe get bronze. So its really difficult. And Im really proud of them.It was yet another measure of the top-to-bottom skill of the U.S. team. But Auriemma said he doesnt want to hear remarks like, What time is the gold medal ceremony? as if Saturdays win is a given.Its not like that, he insisted.But no one believes him. Bird is one of the winningest players in basketball history. With her or without her, the U.S. women just keep rolling on. Aaron Rodgers Packers Jersey .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. Jace Sternberger Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Mike-Daniels-Jersey/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Paul Hornung Jersey .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. Reggie White Womens Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday.There are rumours around the NFL that Peyton Manning could decide against retirement in the 2016 off-season. Our US sportswriter Alex Ferguson looks at the pros and cons of No 18 coming back…. The great thing about the NFL off-season is that we get to make comments about whether certain teams were right about giving big players the franchise tag, ask questions about free agency, and say our goodbyes to the great ones who have retired (See you, Marshawn Lynch! Goodbye Calvin Johnson!). NFL Ins and Outs See who is going where with our rolling news blog And theres the curious case of Peyton Manning, who seems to be in flux over whether he wants to continue playing….. So I measured out the pros and cons of the two-time Super Bowl-winning future Hall of Famer playing again:ProsPeyton Manning is an idol and every team would be made better by his presence - not only on the field but also off it.It would bring massive attention to another franchise (the Los Angeles Rams are rumoured to be thinking about making a run for him). Not only that, but he would get to compete for his third Super Bowl title, putting him above his brother Eli, who only has two.Three rings would also put Peyton Manning in the victory ring with the likes of Troy Aikman and Steve Young - and those are names youd WANT to have your name alongside. Mannings memorable milestone Some of the greats greatest moments The biggest reason why Peyton Manning should come back, though, is that he can silence the doubters. Theres no escaping the fact that the 2015/16 season was not a pretty picture for him.In fact, it was pretty terrible in terms of not only stats (nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions, and his lowest season in terms of career yards - which you could blame on injury) but also how he played.His throwing at times was nigh-on awful, and never looked like improving. Rebounding on a high thats not just based on a fabulous defence, but also a tremendous offence led by him. After winning Super Bowl 50, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning paraded the trophy around Disneyland with his family Oh, and a couple more years could be quite a nice payday, too.ConsThe NFL loves its comeback stories, but Peyton Manning already had one when he replaced Brock Osweiler after being dropped and never looked back, taking home a Super 50 crown. He doesnt need another one where he gets off his death bed to take a team to a mediocre record, quite possibly because of his poor quarterbacking.His 9:17 TD:INT rate was simply awful, and if you look at the stats throughout this season, he had stumbled to his worst year since his rookie season in completion percentage.dddddddddddd And when he tried to throw the ball a long way, it was almost sad to watch how bad the throws were. They arent going to get any better in 2016, unless he suddenly gets fitted with a bionic arm in the off-season. Peyton Manning won a second championship ring as Denver Broncos beat Carolina Panthers 24-10 to win Super Bowl 50 If Manning leaves now, hell be celebrated as a Bronco. Hes going to be cut by John Elway, but Elway really doesnt want to do it in the harsh fashion that he normally would. But cutting Manning would save the organisation $19m, and why would they want someone who had such a poor year when theyve got the up-and-comer in Brock Osweiler, who showed some excellent prowess in his few games - and a better arm.The NFL is not a league thats high on sentiment, so Manning should take all the good wishes he can get, continue promoting and maybe get a job in the TV booth. Peyton Manning secured his second Super Bowl ring in what could be his final game before retiring The final con - and Im saying this without tongue-in-cheek - is that I dont think that Manning would get through the 2016 season without injury. Every bit of his body is in pain right now, and his mother has told reporters that she really, really doesnt want him to come back this year. I think its a mothers intuition that she doesnt want to see her son scraped off the field. Which I think could well happen if he takes foot again.What do you think Manning should do? Should he ride off into the sunset with the second Super Bowl ring in his back pocket or is he good for one more rodeo? Fill in the form below and join the debate by leaving your thoughts... Also See: NFL Ins and Outs Franchise tags and free agents Broncos tag Miller Mannings memorable milestones ' ' '