ERST LESEN! » ere.This year, she has a chance for a ha

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans district attorney said hell seek 60 years in prison for the man who killed New Orleans Saints star Will Smith -- the maximum 40 years for manslaughter, plus another 20 years for attempted manslaughter in the wounding of Smiths wife.We will do our gut-level best to get the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 60 years, Leon Cannizzaro told reporters Monday.Cardell Hayes was found guilty Sunday night after insisting that he only fired because the retired NFL player was drunk and violent and had grabbed a gun following their collision in traffic last April.No one else testified Smith ever held a gun. A loaded .9-mm semi-automatic handgun was found loaded but unused inside Smiths car.Smith, a 34-year-old father of three, was a defensive leader on the Saints team that lifted spirits in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He helped carry the team to a winning season in 2006 and a Super Bowl victory four years later.His death in a dispute over traffic was shocking, even for a city with a high rate of homicides.Hayes, 29, will be sentenced on Feb. 17. State Judge Camille Buras will have the option of imposing less than the maximum sentences, and could order them served concurrently. But the D.A. said the crime warrants maximum sentences, served one after the other.Hayes would have faced a mandatory life sentence had he been found guilty as charged of second-degree murder, and Racquel Smith will press for a harsh sentence when she gives her victim impact statement before the sentencing, according to a statement from the family.Its very unfortunate that another child will grow up without a father, said Raquel Smiths lawyer, Peter Thomson, referring to Hayes 6-year-old son. But Mr. Hayes, regardless of that, must face the consequences of his actions under our system of laws.Friends and relatives of Hayes, a former semi-pro football player who owns a towing company, left court without commenting Sunday night.Hayes defense said Smiths popularity led to a rush to judgment by police and prosecutors. Assistant District Attorney Laura Rodrigue countered that the defense was trying to smear Smith.A pathologist report showed Smith was legally drunk that night, after spending time at the citys annual French Quarter Festival, a bar and two restaurants. He was driving with his wife and another couple, who were traveling with a group of friends in several cars -- when his Mercedes SUV may have lightly bumped Hayes Hummer.Smith then drove off, with Hayes in pursuit. Hayes vehemently denied intentionally ramming the SUV moments later -- he said he was trying to dial 911 to report a hit-and-run and didnt realize how close their cars were.The jury appeared to agree with Hayes on this point, finding him not guilty of aggravated criminal damage to property.Cannizzaro said Monday that Smiths apparent anger and his high blood-alcohol level were likely factors in the jurys decision to hand up a lesser verdict than murder. But, he said he was satisfied with the two convictions, each reached on a 10-2 vote of the 12-member jury.Hayes said he armed himself only after he and his own passenger were accosted by Smith and Richard Hernandez, a passenger in Smiths Mercedes.Hayes also testified that Smith didnt notice his .45-caliber handgun until Hernandez alerted him to it. And he said he only fired after Smith went back to his car to grab his own gun.Assistant Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Napoli repeatedly noted that no other witness said Smith was armed, and that Hayes never told investigators he saw a gun in Smiths hands that night.I never gave a full statement to anyone, Hayes responded.Napoli said in closing arguments that Smith was executed as Hayes fired into his body, once in the side and seven times in the back.This young man tried his best, trying to avoid doing what he had to do, defense attorney John Fuller shouted during his thundering closing, which lasted more than three and a half hours.Saints coach Sean Payton was in court for the late Sunday verdict. A host of past and present Saints players, including former safety Steve Gleason, current quarterback Drew Brees and former running back Deuce McAllister, also attended the trial. Nike SB UK From China .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Nike SB UK Clearance . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. http://www.nikesbsaleuk.com/ . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Authentic Nike SB UK . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Cheap Nike Shoes UK . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. VAL DISERE, France -- Lara Gut is not spending any time thinking about Mikaela Shiffrin, even though the American slalom specialist is a serious threat to Guts overall World Cup title.Last weekend, Shiffrin won the 11th consecutive World Cup race that she has entered in that discipline, extending her overall lead over Gut to 105 points.As she seeks her first overall title, the 21-year-old Shiffrin is branching out into the speed disciplines of downhill and super-G.However, Shiffrin is not competing in those events this weekend in Val dIsere, giving Gut a great chance to overtake her.Its already enough hard work to try and make everything work for me, Gut said Thursday after finishing third in downhill training. Im not going to start to worry about the others, what their plans are, whether theyre skipping a race or when theyre coming back. My 24 hours are already full enough.The 25-year-old Gut is focusing only on herself.When youre in the start gate, its just you and the slope, the Swiss said. Im not racing against someone. Im racing for myself.The chances of Gut retaining her overall title look good, considering the current situation in womens skiing.Four-time overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn is recovering from a broken arm; 2013 World Cup winner Tina Maze has retired; and two-time World Cup winner Anna Veith -- known as Fenninger before getting married earlier this year -- is working her way back from a serious right-knee injury.But Gut does not like to think about her chances.Im not defending anything, because the overall (title) I won is at home and no one can take that away, Gut said. I understood last year that perfection has nothing to do with sport. I always thought that to win the overall you would need a perfect season. Last year I was crying after races -- it happened that I had no idea what was going on, what I should do, what I should change.So far this season, Gut has wonn the giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, in late October and super-G at Lake Louise, Canada, earlier this month.ddddddddddddI had a good start, better than last year, Gut said. Soelden wasnt perfect, but it was amazing because I just realized how much I just love to ski and how lucky I am.There are no half-measures with Gut.When she gets on the podium, she often finishes first and her ratio is 20 wins from 37 podium finishes.If I just go outside and ski the way I can and it works, then I know I can win, she said. Its not going to be second or third.Last year, Gut clinched a downhill-Alpine combined double in Val dIsere.This year, she has a chance for a hat trick. There is an Alpine combined race on Friday, a downhill on Saturday, and a super-G on Sunday.Everything is possible. Thats the good thing in sport, she said. But Im not going to start thinking about winning the race. Because thinking about winning doesnt bring you anything; thinking about skiing brings you a fast finish.Gut has a good career record at Val dIsere, with five podium finishes.She credits her special affinity with the French Alpine resort to her childhood days holidaying in France with her family.When I was a kid we used to come skiing to Val dIsere in the winter, and in the summer we often went to the Cote dAzur, she said. I just have good memories. Im probably just keeping that.Her brother will be attending this weekend, which is good news because Gut says she has a special task for him if she wins.As is the custom in Val dIsere, race winners are offered a cow. Gut did not take up the offer last year, much to the annoyance of her brother.Last year it was a big issue because I didnt bring it (the cow) home, she said. Hes coming tomorrow and, I think if I win, then thats his thing to think about. ' ' '