t the White House next week for its meeting with President Barack Obama.Smith and Carlos were sent home from the Olympics after

What do you need to know about the weekends big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say, Morning, Joe.Torts is tops:?Coach John Tortorella, 58, became the first American-born coach to reach 500 career wins in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 OT win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. He has won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04, of course, but reaching this milestone is an impressive accomplishment as well. Is he the greatest U.S. coach? Like him or not, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he holds players accountable. He was fired by the Vancouver Canucks after only one season (2013-14), and his decision to step away from coaching probably saved his career. He took over in Columbus after Todd Richards was fired seven games into the 2015-16 season, and Tortorellas presence has been influential for the Blue Jackets. The results speak for themselves: He should be considered among the elite American coaches.Let the truth be told:?There was never a goalie controversy with the New York Rangers. While Henrik Lundqvist sat on the bench four consecutive games for the first time in his career as a healthy backup, Antti Raanta went 3-1-0. The brief hiatus as the No. 1 proved crucial for Lundqvist. Since his return, hes 3-0-0 in his past three starts, with a 0.98 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage. He now has 389 career wins, tying Dominik Hasek for the most wins by a European goaltender. Overall, Lundqvist is 14-5-1, with a 2.19 GAA and a .927 SP. He continues to make timely saves and hes made 87 on 90 shots during the streak. It should serve as evidence that he can take a few games off to stay fresh because Raanta is more than capable of doing the job.Blackhawks tightening up:?Just when you think the Chicago Blackhawks, winners of three Stanley Cups since 2010, are struggling, they rocket to success once again. Chicago has won five consecutive games and owns the best record (22-8-4) in the league with 48 points. With No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford (appendectomy) sidelined, backup Scott Darling has stepped in and has been outstanding. So, what happens after Crawford returns, expected to be as early as Friday? Its a no-brainer. He gets his job back. When that does happen, hell notice a better defensive team in front of him than before his illness. The Blackhawks are back to being the gold standard. Custom Pistons T-shirts . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. Authentic Custom Pistons Jersey . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. http://www.custompistonsjersey.com/ . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. Custom Pistons Jersey China . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Cheap Custom Pistons Jersey . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the American sprinters whose raised-fist salutes at the 1968 Olympics are an ageless sign of race-inspired protest, will join the U.S. Olympic team at the White House next week for its meeting with President Barack Obama.Smith and Carlos were sent home from the Olympics after raising their black-gloved fists in a symbolic protest during the U.S. national anthem. They called it a human rights salute.U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun asked them to serve as ambassadors as the federation tries to bring more diversity to its own ranks. They will join the team at the White House next Wednesday and then later that evening at an awards celebration iin Washington.ddddddddddddThe sprinters have been referenced frequently in the recent protests, spurred by?San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, during national anthems at NFL games. One player,?Marcus Peters of the?Chiefs,?raised his own black-gloved fist before Kansas Citys season opener.I think Tommie and John have played an important and positive role in the evolution of our attitudes about diversity and inclusion, not only in the United States but around the world, Blackmun said Friday night at a dinner to celebrate the U.S. performance in Brazil this summer. ' ' '