Für unsere Gäste » ity on Sept. 24.An Auburn student said sh

NEW YORK -- The new WNBA playoff format involving the top eight teams will set up an exciting last few weeks of the season when the league returns from the monthlong Olympic break.Los Angeles and Minnesota have already clinched playoff spots and look to be near locks for the top two seeds. With that comes a bye to the semifinals. New York is almost assured of the three seed, barring a major collapse in September. Those three teams have pretty much led The Associated Press WNBA power poll all season.The rest of the playoff picture is wide open with eight teams within 4.5 games of each other. Whoever finishes fourth will get a first-round bye along with New York, while the fifth through eighth teams will face off for one game in opening-round matches.Its definitely different and you want to at least get one of those first-round byes, Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings said. Those last few weeks when we come back should be exciting.The league decided before the season to change the playoff format, getting away from traditional conferences and choosing the top eight teams by record to make the postseason among the 12 WNBA teams.---POWER POLL: Los Angeles, Minnesota and New York still sit in top three spots in AP power poll. A look at this weeks WNBA poll:1. Los Angeles (21-3): The Sparks will be well rested when the Olympic break ends with none of their stars playing in Rio.2. Minnesota (21-4): No rest for the Lynx, with four of their players in Rio along with coach Cheryl Reeve. The Lynx enter the break with six consecutive wins.3. New York (18-8): The Liberty may be the deepest team in the league and will most likely get Epiphanny Prince, sidelined with a knee injury, back after the break.4. Indiana (12-12): The Fever moved up to their highest ranking, winning five of their last six games, buoyed by the strong play of Lynetta Kizer.5. Atlanta (13-12): Dream got some good news about Sancho Lyttle, who may return near the end of the season after breaking a bone in her right foot.6. Chicago (11-13): Starting to get hot, winning four of its last six games.7. Phoenix (10-14): Just as it looked like the Mercury turned the corner, they slumped by dropping four of last six.8. Seattle (9-15): Its going to be a busy break for the Storm -- five players are headed to Rio.9. Connecticut (8-16): The Sun ended the break on the rise with consecutive victories.10. Dallas (9-16): The Wings have dropped six consecutive games. They hope to regroup and make a playoff push.11. Washington (9-15): The Mystics had a miserable West coast trip and it didnt get better at home, having lost seven straight games.12. San Antonio (5-17): The Stars have a lot of work to do during the break.---PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chiney Ogwumike is rounding back into the form that helped her win 2014 rookie of the year. Connecticuts star forward averaged 18 points, 9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks to help the Sun win both their games last week. Others receiving votes included: Chicagos Elena Delle Donne, Minnesotas Sylvia Fowles, Indianas Lynetta Kizer and Los Angeles Nneka Ogwumike.---NO TIMEOUT: The WNBA and the players will use the Olympic break to keep up the dialogue on social activism. After originally fining three teams and their players for wearing black warm-up shirts, the league decided to rescind those fines over the weekend.Mike Edwards Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. Mike Alstott Buccaneers Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. http://www.authenticbuccaneerspro.com/Jamel-dean-buccaneers-jersey/ . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Mike Alstott Youth Jersey . 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. Mike Evans Womens Jersey . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records.OPELIKA, Ala. -- The case against a man accused of torching one of Auburn Universitys famed oak trees at Toomers Corner is going to a grand jury.The Opelika-Auburn News (http://bit.ly/2dq3Jqn) reported Thursday that a judge sent the case against Jochen Wiest, 29, of Auburn to a grand jury to consider an indictment following a hearing Wednesday.Covering the Toomers oaks with toilet paper after Auburn football victories is a school tradition that had been frustrated after University of Alabama fan Harvey Updyke poisoned the original trees, which were removed and replaced with new oaks in February 2015. This fall was the first season when school officials allowed fans to resume rolling the young trees with the highly flammable paper.Wiest was arrested as flames engulfed one of the young trees after Auburn beat Louisiana State University on Sept. 24.An Auburn student said she saw Weist set fire to the toilet paper, followed him and yelled for help detaining the man until officers arrived. Auburn police detective Michael Creighton testified that Wiest had a lighter on him and was wearing an Auburn hat.ddddddddddddWeist, a German national living in Auburn, is free on bond. He did not attend the hearing and has not entered a plea to the charges, which include public intoxication, criminal mischief and damaging a venerated object. The grand jury could add or change the charges, or decline to indict him for any crimes.Defense lawyer Margaret Brown questioned the charges, saying the Toomers Oaks could not be considered a venerated object under the law because they arent a structure, place of worship, burial or monument.But Prosecutor Jessica Venturi said the trees were considered a monument the second they were installed.District Judge Steven Speakman said the status of the trees was more of a legal question than a factual question.---Information from: Opelika-Auburn News, http://www.oanow.com/ ' ' '