LONDON -- The absence of many of the top men from the Olympic golf tournament in Rio de Janeiro will be taken into account in evaluating the sports future in the games, IOC President Thomas Bach said Wednesday.Golf is making its first appearance in the Olympics for the first time since 1904, but 20 men -- including the top four in the world rankings -- have pulled out, many citing concerns over the Zika virus.We have to respect the individual decisions, even if they are going contrary to the recommendations given by the World Health Organization, if Zika is given as a reason, Bach said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press and two other international news agencies.Bach added that very different reasons not related to Zika have also been cited in golf circles for skipping the Olympics.Were also following with interest the discussions in the golf community, how they themselves are considering these discussions and what judgment they are making, he said.Rory McIlroy, among those who have withdrawn from the games, said Monday that golf needs to get tougher in its drug-testing procedures if it wants to be seen as a mainstream sport. He also said he may not even bother to watch the Olympic golf tournament on TV, saying he would probably stick to track and field, swimming and diving -- the stuff that matters.Golf and rugby were approved by the IOC in 2013 for inclusion in the Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The spate of withdrawals from Rio has put golfs long-term Olympic future in question.The IOC will meet after the Rio Games to evaluate golf and all other sports and events on the program.One of the main categories of the evaluation is, of course, the question of participation of the best players, Bach said. Let us wait then for this evaluation. Then, of course, we will also speak with the International Golf Federation once this is available.By evaluating events within each sport, the IOC could look separately at the mens and womens tournaments. As it has been almost exclusively male players who have been withdrawing from Rio, the IOC could potentially consider whether to drop the mens event and keep the womens tournament for Tokyo. Cheap Kings Jerseys . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Custom Sacramento Kings Jerseys . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/402b-francisco-garcia-jersey-kings.html . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. 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GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers ended his postgame news conference after Sunday nights loss at Washington by saying he is very optimistic the Green Bay Packers can still turn their season around.No one asked him why until three days later.When presented with the natural, albeit delayed, follow-up question on Wednesday, Rodgers took it a step -- or six -- further.I feel like we can run the table, I really do, Rodgers said. The offense is starting to click a little bit more; weve just got to put together a game where were more consistent from the first snap to the last. Weve been, I think, getting closer to that. Weve really been clicking, at times, in the last few games.But its going to be important that we get going early. We had three three-and-outs to start the [Redskins] game, but overall on the season, weve done a better job of limiting our three-and-outs; weve been sustaining drives pretty well.At 4-6 with six games remaining, the Packers stand two games out of first place in the NFC North, behind co-leaders Detroit and Minnesota. The Lions and Vikings?match up on Thanksgiving, so even if the Packers end their four-game losing streak with a win on Monday night at Philadelphia, they would still be two games behind the division leader.Rodgers learned Wednesday that he wont get back?Eddie Lacy; the running back?will remain on the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season.But Rodgers praised the addition of running back Christine Michael, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle last week, and the return of tight end Jared Cook, who had six catches for 105 and a touchdown against the Redskins after missing six games because of a sprained right ankle.You just feel like it just takes one, Rodgers said. We get one under our belts, things might start rolling for us and we can run the table.Receiver Jordy Nelson likened this season to 2010, when the Packers were 8-6 with two weeks remainning and in danger of missing the playoffs and there was heat on coach Mike McCarthy.ddddddddddddThat season, they won their last two games and went on to win the Super Bowl.Nelson said Rodgers comments were more than just locker room rah-rah chatter.I think everyone in here probably believes that, to be honest, Nelson said. Thats how we started the year. I dont think Ive ever been part of a team here where we went into a game thinking theres no way were going to win this game -- even if our backs are against the wall. If you look at the year we won the Super Bowl and people were counting us out and, honestly, [people] were wanting to fire Mike back then when we lost at Detroit and went to New England and we lost and had to win out to make the playoffs. Every playoff game weve been in, every regular-season game weve been in, we thought we were going to win.I think thats just how confident we are. I think the things weve done in the past allow us to be that confident. We just have to go out and do it on the field.The problem, however, might not be on Nelson and Rodgers side of the ball. The Green Bay defense has allowed 40-plus points in each of the past two games.Still, Rodgers said its incumbent upon him to make sure he plays at a really high level and do what Ive always done and be a little bit better every time Im out there.I know a lot is going to be on our shoulders, especially the way were starting games out, Rodgers said. We have to start faster, I have to be sharper from the start and I will be. And Im confident that if we can get this thing started out a little better each week that we can get on that roll and be tough to stop.Now we have to go out and do it. Its just idle words right now, but Im confident in our guys and Im confident well respond on Monday. ' ' '