l has essentially become a CEO-in-training, befriending

SILVERSTONE, Great Britain -- Nico Rosberg has been demoted from second to third in the classification for the British Grand Prix after the stewards found Mercedes in breach of team radio restrictions.A gearbox problem in the closing stages of the race saw Rosberg slow before the team informed him to reset a setting via his steering wheel. This was deemed to be in compliance with the regulations, but he was then told to avoid seventh gear for the rest of the race. The stewards deemed the second message to be in breach of Article 27.1 of the Sporting Regulations, which states the driver must drive the car alone and unaided.The stewards issued a ten-second time penalty, dropping Rosberg behind Max Verstappen, who finished 1.339s behind him on the road. The decision was reached after taking into account a technical directive issued by race director Charlie Whiting, which specifically states that drivers must not be given instructions on how to drive the car.Having considered the matter extensively, the stewards determined that the team have some instructions to the driver that were specifically permitted under technical directive 014-16, the stewards statement said. However, the stewards determined that the team then went further and gave instructions to the driver that were not permitted under the technical directive, and were in breach of Article 27.1 of the Sporting Regulations, that the driver must drive the car alone and unaided.The Mercedes-Rosberg communication went as follows:Rosberg: Gearbox problem! Mercedes: Affirm. Chassis default zero one Mercedes: Avoid seventh gear, Nico. Rosberg: Well what does that mean? I have to shift through it? Mercedes: Affirm, Nico, Affirm. You have to shift through it.Rosberg is the first driver to penalised under the team radio restrictions introduced at the start of this year. The loss of one position closes his lead in the standings over teammate Lewis Hamilton to just one point. Dee Ford Super Bowl Jersey . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Raheem Mostert Super Bowl Jersey . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-George-Kittle-49ers-Jersey/ . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Colin Kaepernick Super Bowl Jersey . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Trent Taylor Super Bowl Jersey . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. The photo went viral before practice even ended Thursday. There, in gray shorts and an aqua blue top, was Kevin Garnett playing basketball with Blake Griffin on the third day of the Los Angeles Clippers training camp. Thats right -- recently retired, 40-year-old Kevin Garnett, who won a title with Clippers coach Doc Rivers and Clippers forward Paul Pierce. Was he coming back? To play and give the Clippers veteran leadership? To coach? Or maybe just to scare DeAndre Jordan into making more free throws?In an interview with ESPNs Jackie MacMullan, Rivers acknowledged that he tried to persuade Garnett to play for the Clippers in an emeritus role before he made a final decision about retirement. Garnett passed.But think about how quickly you envisioned that transition. How easy it was to see KG in that wise man role. How much the Clippers still seem to need that championship experience and guidance going into Year 6 of the Lob City era.Year 6!If it seems like the time has gone by quickly, well, you havent lived through the painful and humiliating playoff losses like Griffin, Jordan and Chris Paul have.Unfortunately for me, Ive had 11 summers of going into the summer knowing what its like not to win a championship, Paul said.Two of the five seasons have ended with Griffin and Paul suffering serious injuries that required surgery in the offseason.Another season was marred by the Donald Sterling scandal; the other two featured monumental collapses (blowing a 2-0 series lead vs. Memphis and a 3-1 series lead vs. Houston).In between, Jordan round-tripped to Dallas; Griffin broke his hand on a team staffers face and Paul made two of the most un-Chris-Paul-like plays youll ever see at the end of a playoff game in Oklahoma City.There has been an ownership change, a coaching change, at least three front-office rearrangements, even a new mascot. (Yep, Chuck the Condor has been renewed for Season 2.)All of this happened in the five years since Paul was traded to L.A.; and Jordan and Griffin made that endearing Lob City video outside the practice facility.Watching that video now, they look so young and innocent compared to the men who sat on stage together earlier this week at media day.Both Griffin and Paul can become free agents next summer, meaning all sorts of personal and organizational decisions lie ahead. Do the Clippers dare risk losing one or both in free agency without getting anything in return? Or do they feel compelled to trade one, both or someone else during the season to make sure there isnt a crater in the middle of Steve Ballmers $2 billion franchise next summer? Over the years, if you spoke to people in and around the franchise, youd hear wildly different opinions on what the future would look like. Part of that was because everyone was waiting to get a read on what kind of owner Ballmer was going to be. How patient would the notoriously emotional owner be? How long would he defer to Rivers on basketball decisions? Thus far, Ballmer has remained at a respectful distance. His biggest intervention this summer was greenn-lighting indulgent contracts to keep Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford.dddddddddddd Of course the Clippers had no choice but to pay their own free agents because the team was so far over the cap; it had no real options at replacing anyone who departed. Still, can you see Sterling giving Crawford $42 million? Not a chance.So after three years of Ballmers ownership, it might just be long enough to draw some conclusions. Most importantly, according to Clippers insiders, Ballmer is committed to keeping both Griffin and Paul long term, no matter what it costs.Do both want to stay? Thats impossible to predict nine months out from free agency. But its hard to imagine either finding as good of a setup as they have in Los Angeles. Both have firmly planted roots in L.A., with deep ties to the business and entertainment worlds. Paul has essentially become a CEO-in-training, befriending executives he does business with and those who frequent Clippers games; Griffin is a superstar pitchman and budding comic.As for the idea theyd make a blockbuster trade, consider this: The only way the Clippers get a decent return is if Paul and/or Griffin agreed to waive their player option for next season, or guaranteed theyd re-sign long term in the city they were traded. Theres no compelling reason for either of them to do that after the infusion of television rights money spikes the salary cap up to more than $100 million next summer.Rivers has already publicly said the team isnt trading Griffin at least a dozen times now. Its heresy to even bring up trading Paul. Jordan has turned into the best defensive center in the game, and hes locked up on a very reasonable contract for two more seasons.So while this is still a pivotal season for the Clippers core group, its probably not their last stand.Which brings us back to Garnett shooting jumpers with the Clippers on Thursday.Four years ago, Rivers was brought to L.A. in the hopes his championship pedigree would get the Clippers over the top.Last season, Pierce was signed for the same reason.Now, KG is in the gym, teaching as Rivers put it.Something has been missing. Something is still needed. As Pierce himself said, based on talent alone, the Clippers do have something of a super team with Paul, Griffin, Jordan, JJ Redick (the best 3-point shooter in the league) and Crawford (a three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner). So why havent they won a title yet? And can they still do so in an NBA in which Kevin Durant just joined the 73-win Golden State Warriors?On talent alone, L.A. is still one of the top three or four best teams in the NBA along with Golden State, Cleveland and San Antonio.Other teams in the past have been probably just as deep, Crawford said. But Im not sure it was the right guys at the right time.This just feels like the perfect storm as far as guys who want to win, are competitive enough at the right time frame in their lives about whats important. ' ' '